Microbrewing Industry

The Australian and Victorian beer industry generates $3 billion annually in Australia, which equates to around 35% of all beverage consumption.

Victoria has a strong craft-brewing sector, and it is growing: 35 of Australia's 120 craft breweries are in the State.

By 2010, the plan is for Victoria to have:

• 50 microbreweries that sustain 260 full-time jobs and contribute more than $180 million to Victoria's economy
• annual production of over 10 million litres of beer and annual retail beer sales value of $110 million
• continuation of the balance between regional and metropolitan microbreweries.
• achieve recognition as an integral part of Victoria’s food and beverage industry
• become a significant contributor to food and beverage tourism in Victoria
• achieve recognition for the quality characteristics of boutique beers, in terms of beer styles and varieties , flavour, absence of preservatives, and the use of natural and local inputs.

Current priorities of the Victorian Microbrewery Sector:

• Product Quality and Food Safety
• Training/Skills Development
• Excise and Taxes
• Export Development
• Tourism and Signage
• Sourcing Brewery Equipment and Brewery Design Advice
• Information Exchange
• Collaborative Marketing
• Sourcing of Inputs

Case Study

The Mountain Goat Brewery is a microbrewery based in Richmond, Melbourne. Microbreweries consume a lot of power and water and often have significant levels of emissions yet their range of sizes and diversity creates potential for new, more sustainable products, production processes and distribution methods.