First published by WBM Magazine in 2014
The rise of Hipster beers.
Beer Radar
By John Krüger
The beverage landscape is continually moving. The cider craze certainly wasn’t the bubble that everyone thought would burst last year. It’s continuing to grow at a steady rate, especially if bottle shop fridge space is any guide. Most bottle shops are either installing extra glass-door fridges or removing stock that doesn’t move as quickly. Beer and white wine ranges seem to have shrunk to accommodate cider and more recently, alcoholic ginger beer. One old Adelaide suburbs bottle shop attendant was horrified at the thought of removing longnecks of beer to replace it with a back sweetened alcoholic pear cider. “Granddad would be rolling in his grave.” he mentioned. Granddad must have hated artificially sweetened sweet fizzy drinks as much as I do. Interestingly at the Adelaide Schützenfest, one of the biggest events involving beer in Adelaide, the line ups at the beer taps are getting shorter and shorter as the younger punters are swarming around the cider taps, pouring red or green cordial into their steins full of cider.
While craft beer is still in growth, huge hoppy beers move units, but not often cartons. They’re also not the kind of beer that many people plow through while watching TV. Australia is a great country to sell cold beer in and you’re about to see the rise of the latest trend, American Hipster beers. Our youth have never been more switched on to American culture and iconic, yet more mainstream American brands are the latest cold beverage that’s a “must be seen drinking” item. It wasn’t that long ago that Budweiser appeared and if you hadn’t noticed the red beer cup craze, have a look at Dan Murphy’s online. They’re selling “the iconic plastic cups that can be seen in many American movies and hit TV show.”
With this huge wave of dude food and food trucks, the ideal accompaniment is a can of iconic American beer. It’s no secret that Press* in Adelaide make a damn fine burger, but the best beverage match in the establishment is a can of Brooklyn Brewery lager.
McLaren Vale Brewing Co have decided to distribute the American Hipster cult classic Pabst Blue Ribbon (473ml cans). A Google image search reveals just how big the Pabst (also referred to as “PBR”) following is in America. Everyone from President Obama to Clint Eastwood is pictured drinking PBR. MVBeer’s sales and marketing manager Josh Stuart is quoted in a press release saying that MVBeer also haven’t ruled out also importing American “non-beer beverages”.
If that’s not a good enough indicator that the American icons are going to invade even more shelf space, CocaCola Amatil are adding to their huge growth range of Rekorderlig ciders with US classic beers Blue Moon, Coors and Sam Adams. At the moment CCA are starting with Sam Adams popular Boston Lager, but Sally Loane, CCA Director of Media and Public Affairs says they’re looking at bringing in the entire Sam Adams range.
Coopers have also forged an alliance with the Anchor brewing company out of San Francisco, but to date there’s no sign of them distributing Anchor’s legendary Steam beer or Liberty Ale.
Which beverages will lose fridge space to this new range of mainstream imports? I doubt it’ll be the ciders.
