The 2017 Australian Craft Beer Survey by Beer Cartel has revealed Pirate Life Brewery is Australia’s Best Craft Brewery.
The survey is the largest publicly available study of Australian craft beer drinking trends. More than 17,000 craft beer drinkers took part in the survey this year.
Key findings from the research include:
– Brewery ownership is important: 64% want to know who owns the beer they’re drinking.
– There is a strong preference for craft beer from independently owned Australian breweries: 99% are happy to buy craft beer from an independent Australian owned brewery. In comparison just 23% are happy to buy craft beer from a large multi-national company and 32% from super market owned brands.
– There is strong interest for a seal to identify whether a beer is from an independent Australian brewery: 82% indicated that an independent brewers seal would have a medium to large impact on the craft beer that they purchase.
– Pirate Life is Australia’s best craft brewery: voted number one by Australian craft beer drinkers, ahead of Feral Brewing which took out the top position in last year’s study.
– Pale Ale reigns as Australia’s most consumed craft beer style: Pale Ale is enjoyed by 92% of craft beer drinkers Australia-wide.
– Average weekly spend on beer is consistent with 2016 ($55 vs $56 in 2016). Most spend between $26-$100 in total on beer a week (via bars, bottleshops, restaurants and breweries). Most (91%), visit a mainstream store every 2-3 months or more often.
– Overall visitation of craft breweries (every 2-3 months or more often) has increased significantly (71% in 2017 vs 61% in 2016).
– Opinions that cans are a better vessel for storing beer are unchanged, however fewer (29% vs 37% in 2016) believe bottles are better, with more shifting to Neutral (46% vs 40% 2016).
Pirate Life’s race to the top
Beer Cartel notes that it’s “an amazing effort” for Pirate Life to be voted Australia’s Best Craft Brewery considering it was only established two years ago.
“Pirate Life have followed on from their second place in the 2016 version of this survey to take out the top gong,” the website notes. “The other big mover is Balter which was 9th in last year’s survey and has now moved up to 3rd place this year.”
Pirate Life was thrilled with the win, saying: “We were caught by surprise with the announcement that Aussies have this year voted us their number one brewery, a huge honour considering the excellent company we share the top five with.”
