Andrew Fineran makes three predictions about the rapidly evolving craft beer industry in Australia, where two rivals have been swallowed by the world's biggest beer company, Anheuser-Busch InBev in an aggressive swoop in the past three months.

He says there will be even more small players gobbled up, the might of "big beer" and its deep pockets will result in a fierce step-up in competition among the existing 450 craft beer players. And, heaven forbid, the beards may disappear from some of the faces of the traditional "bearded hipsters" synonymous with the industry, in line with shifting fashions.