The cult following of craft beer
Tens of thousands of social media followers, limited edition products flying off shelves within hours; welcome to the new world of craft beer.
Their social media pages attracts tens of thousands of followers.
Fans eagerly await the latest release and limited edition ranges sell out within hours, with people driving across town to get their hands on a single one.
Welcome to the world of craft beer.
Craft Cartel Liquor has been in Constitution Hill for more than 20 years and has seen first-hand the changes to the beer industry in that time.
Home to more than 700 craft beers, the shop — formerly known as Wenty North Liquor — attracts customers from as far as Ryde to Windsor and Campbelltown.
And their customers’ demand for limited edition brews and new releases is intense.
A few weeks ago, Queensland brewery Balter released the limited edition Hazy IPA — and Craft Cartel sold all 160 cans it had in stock in five hours.
Owner Ben Malouf, who also co-hosts 2GB’s Food & Wine Show, said about eight years ago there were around 100 craft breweries in Australia — now there are 600.
“They’re popping up all over the place,” he said.
From Armidale to Rouse Hill, breweries creating experimental flavours like cognac infused and banana shake are attracting fans around the country.
So what exactly makes a craft beer craft?
“I guess originally you’d equate craft with small … but now it’s more an ideology,” Malouf said.
He said it was about “hand crafted” or “bespoke” beers with a focus on making “the best possible beer” without having to worry about keeping the exact same taste from batch to batch like large-scale brands would.
Some craft beers fetch a high price — some go up to nearly $90 for a single bottle — while others cost just a few dollars, and Malouf says many customers are happy to pay more for better quality drinks.
“We’re drinking less … but we’re drinking better products,” Malouf said.
Malouf said customers were always on the hunt for “something different” and to keep up with demand Craft Cartel recently started a subscription delivery service showcasing the new and unique offerings.
“Keeping up with demand is always challenging,” Malouf said.
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