Choose Local Beer. How community is building brands for brews

CHOOSE LOCAL…

Ever since its wonderful accidental discovery over 9,000 years ago, the consumption of beer around the globe has centred around and has been synonymous with ceremony, celebration and a good old fashioned catch up… with the gathering of people coming together for whatever occasion, being at the soul of every brew. It’s not only people but also the sense of community that is absolutely integral to the very heart of what beer is. With its ability to be the social equaliser, the drink of everyone and anybody, many a village or town was built with not only a church but also a brewery at its centre tying into the town’s very identity and providing a pride of place and an alternative congregation, to all who lived there. By Kirrily Waldhorn (Beer Diva)

Regionality has also played a pivotal role in the development and creation of the myriad of beer styles now available to beer drinkers around the world. Depending on which particular raw ingredients flourished within whichever local climate, beer styles were developed and evolved based on the availability of and quality of these key ingredients. For example, hops, which thrive in Germany, were brought to life through Bohemian Pilsners, yet in Belgium, where hops struggle to grow and instead, in their place, unique and distinctive yeast strains exist, then show up in the many estery and spicy (yet, virtually un-hopped) Belgian beers, which this region has become famous for. This is beer’s version of terroir and we see this in both traditional beer styles from Europe and the more recent New World styles of beer such as the popular American Pale Ales, incorporating the punchy and distinctive American hops. Our own backyard is another great example with Australian Pale Ale becoming increasingly popular and more and more common, showcasing the incredible hops we produce here in Oz.

Taking a look at the relatively younger Australian beer market, which rather than necessarily ingredient driven, was developed thanks to its loyal drinker’s love of their locally brewed beers. Individual state’s populations took enormous pride in their very own hallmark brand and god forbid you drank something from over the border! Never has there been a category in Australia that has been so tied up in parochialism as much as beer! Though as these mega brands grew in popularity and Australia’s population migrated between the states, so did the beers. Whilst brands such as Victoria Bitter and XXXX still had their roots firmly in Victoria or Queensland, it was now acceptable to see these brands in the fridges or on tap outside of their homeland. Suddenly these state-based brands became available nationally, though were still deemed local. In the 90’s and noughties, we saw a shift from ‘local’ having to equate to statebased to drinkers tying the term local to ‘Australian’, driven by both the ‘Choose Australian’ campaigns of the time and simultaneously, the world opening up thanks to the information highway courtesy

TOP: Little Creatures Geelong ABOVE: Little Creatures Freemantle

Find the most comprehensive beverage supplier directory online

www.drinksguide.com.auHead on over to

Stone & Wood Byron Bay

of the internet. Australian was the new ‘local’.

More recently however, we have witnessed a desire to hone back in on not only local, but ‘hyper-local’. In Euromonitor’s Top 10 Global Trends report, we see key trends heavily focused around ‘locavores’, ie. those who are “seeking hyperlocal food, craft spirits and beer, with consumers searching for authentic, differentiated products and experiences which allow them to express their individuality”. Supporting this is the ‘fresh is best/supporting local’ trend, which sees consumers who are “buying hyperlocal food which is growing in popularity for a range of reasons including that it supports local businesses, it reduces the environmental impact and tastes better as it’s fresher”. As a global population, we are far more aware of, and wanting to support, our local community.

This has never been more true than in the beer category and particularly in what is termed, ‘craft beer’. Beer drinkers are rushing to support their local brewery, venues are tailoring their taplists to reflect the local brewing scene and bottleshops are calling out local on their shelf stripping to demonstrate their support for their local brewery friends. And if you’re not doing it, you’re missing a trick. We’ve also witnessed how important a brewery can be to their local community and vice versa. A well-placed brewery can bring new life into sleepy towns, whilst on the flip side, breweries will often offer financial support their local communities through sponsoring sporting teams and the like, with the drinkers also benefiting from having brands they feel they are connected to.

There is no better example of this than Stone & Wood, who see their role as not only beer purveyors but also as a cornerstone to their local community. This is apparent in their initiative, Ingrained, which over the years has not only donated over $600,000 to local not-for-profits, grassroots organisations and individuals in their communities, but has also evolved into a national, not-for-profit foundation that donates $1.00 for every 100 litres of beer sold along with raising money through some fantastic annual events they host throughout the year.

Breweries such as Little Creatures, which revived the great brewing traditions of Fremantle in WA and then resurrected a near-derelict wool mill in Geelong have both become destination venues for not only the local community but the tourism trade who are able to experience a real sense of the these towns through visiting the breweries. In the same way as the wine producers have created regions, breweries have also started to define regional hubs for great beer. Brewery trails can now be found in most holiday destinations as well as creating holiday destinations through the collaboration of localised breweries who together, are attracting visitors wanting to experience the craft beer scene in a particular area. The High Country Brewery Trail is a great example of local breweries collaborating to create a beertourism destination.

Smaller breweries are also opening up at a pace of around one a week in Australia and more often than not, within small regional towns. From Kiama to Mackay, and Chittering to Whyalla, no matter where you find yourself in Australia, there is likely to be a brewery a stone’s throw away.

What does this mean for retailers and venue operators? It means there is a great deal of local choice when it comes to curating your beer offer and it also means that beer can be served to your customers in the best possible condition. Today, many beer drinkers are still unaware that fresh beer is the best beer and through honing in on a local offering, not only are you demonstrating a support for your community but you are also sourcing beer that hasn’t necessarily travelled for miles to get to your venue. We always say, the best time to drink beer is the day it leaves the brewery so your customers will have the opportunity to taste beer at its absolute prime and exactly how the brewers intended their beer to be enjoyed.

With over 600 breweries in Australia, there has never been a better time to be able to offer a great range of popular brands combined with a well-thought out selection of locally produced beer, tying beautifully back into the days when the local brewery was the very heart and soul of the town and its community. drinks trade|25