What is Independent Beer?
Independent beer, or indie beer, refers to beer produced by independent ‘craft’ breweries.
These breweries are local businesses that are owned and operated by a member of your community. They vary in size and type from husband-and-wife teams, groups of mates to Australian investors and provide valuable jobs for locals and contribute to our national economy and social fabric.
Independent brewers are passionate about beer just walk into any one of the breweries and hear their dedication and commitment to create something truly special and unique. . They pride themselves on being part of the community, providing that ‘just around the corner’ meeting place, in giving to local clubs and charities and importantly on producing flavoursome beer with unique ingredients, as well as a committing to sustainability.
What is the seal?
The Certified Independent Seal is a way for indie brewers to wear their independence with pride, while allowing consumers to identify true independent products. In order to display the seal, the brewery needs to be an IBA member, which means it has less than 20% foreign ownership, and produces fewer than 40 million litres of beer each year. It's a great way to identify Australian breweries that support jobs and a diverse marketplace.
Look for the seal on beer labels and packaging. You'll usually find it near the ingredients on the packaging. You can also check your favourite brewery's website & bottle shops too.
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
There are currently over 600 independent breweries in Australia who are primarily small-to medium businesses with nearly two-thirds operating in rural and regional areas.
Buying indie beer supports these Australian owned businesses ensuring you are ‘buying local’, they provide a variety of jobs, contribute to the social fabric of their neighbourhoods and most importantly – all of their profits stay on shore.
Many indie breweries have a place to eat and drink, catch up with family and friends (including the four-legged variety) and enjoy great music and cracking festivals.
Environmental impact
Independent brewers often use sustainable and environmentally-friendly brewing practices such as using local ingredients and minimizing waste. Many are already or on their journey to being carbon neutral and are paving the way in inventing or introducing new technologies as the truly care about the impact they have on our precious environment.
Supporting indie beer can help promote these practices and ensure others follow.
Diversity and innovation
The spirit of indie beer is driven by creativity using unique flavours and artisanal products. Indie brewers love to support our farmers, growers, and producers by showcasing an astounding array of Australian ingredients – they push the boundaries so you can too. There is even a beer using sea urchin sourced from the Victorian coastline – delicious and crazy all at the same time!
JOBS
While independent beer has less than 10% of the total market share of beer in this country, it employs 51% of the industry as it is more labor intensive – it takes time to add all that love! On top of that indie breweries provide over 26,000 jobs in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and logistics and contributes approximately $1.93 billion to the nations economy every year. So the more you support them the more we are supported in return.
So many reasons to … look for the Seal when beer o’clock calls.
VOTE INDIE in the GABS Hottest 100
Last year independent breweries accounted for 71 beers in the GABS Hottest 100.
We’d love to see indie breweries take out even more places and fill the podium in 2025!
You’ve probably already seen your favourite brewery campaigning - but if you aren’t sure who to vote for just look for the Seal on their packaging or check out the Find an Indie Map and that way you know your vote is going to an Australian owned, small business.
Voting closes 12 January 2025.
