MAINSTREAM While the craft beer scene in New Zealand is exploding, Kiwis still love a classic mainstream brew, writes Denise Garland.
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ver the past decade, there’s been an explosion of growth in New Zealand’s craft beer industry. According to the 2020 Brewing in New Zealand Report, compiled by the Brewers Association of New Zealand, the craft beer market has been growing at 13% per annum since 2016. It also reports there are more than 200 breweries across New Zealand – the majority of which are small, independent craft operations. But despite that growth, mainstream beer still makes up the vast majority of beer bought and sold in Aotearoa. Nielsen reports mainstream beer – a category in which they exclude premium international style brands such as Heineken, Steinlager or Stella Artois – makes up 43% of the New Zealand market by volume. If those premium or ‘green bottle’ lagers are included, that number jumps to more than 75% of the market by volume. The New Zealand Draught beer style is one of the most popular in the mainstream 28 THE SHOUT NZ – JULY 2021
market, with brands such as Speight’s from Lion and Tui from DB which are two of the biggest sellers by volume in the entire country. That style – a sweet lager of about 4% ABV – is an easy-drinking, thirstquenching beer with limited bitterness and without any real challenging flavours. Dylan Firth, Executive Director of the Brewers Association, which advocates on behalf of Lion and DB, says approachability and price do seem to be big drivers for people when it comes to what they choose to drink. “The mainstream varieties are often older, more traditional brands that New Zealanders will know and be familiar with,” he says. “These preferences for often simple, approachable ales or lagers runs deep. There are some simple drivers for this, such as price, where the mainstream brands will often be slightly cheaper making them attractive for those looking for a value option. Or a regional preference, like Speight’s down south or Waikato Draught in Hamilton.”
Denise Garland is a journalist with a love of all things beer. She has been writing about beer for a decade and was the winner of the 2019 Brewers Guild Beer Media Award. She has previously worked in hospitality in Christchurch, Wellington and Edinburgh. Denise home brews – though not as often as she’d like – and has been a judge in several home brew and commercial beer competitions.
