The head of Australia’s top craft beer advocacy group says the new Hard Solo, which has been controversially released, is “one the most damaging things to happen to alcohol in a short time.”
Kylie Lethbridge is the CEO of the Independent Brewers Association, which represents over 450 craft brewers across the country. She says the new alcoholic drink with lemon has caused unrest in the industry.
Lethbridge, while brewing giant Asahi, has denied claims that its 4.5 percent ABV beverage was aimed at minors. Independent MP Kylea Tink has stated that it is “a soft drinks that looks like, tastes like, and has a name like soft drinks”.
Lethbridge says, “That is our position on Hard Solo.”
“I call that a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothes. It doesn’t really matter if the bottle is black and yellow, instead of yellow-black. It’s definitely alcoholic Solo. Asahi is free to do what they like, but we believe it’s one of the worst things that have happened to alcohol in a while. We don’t know what the ramifications will be, but we are trying to figure them out at this moment.”
BrewCon will take place on the Gold Coast and will feature a number of hot topics. These include the rise of seltzers and ready-to-drink options – as well as the decline in beer consumption.
Lethbridge claims that the program was designed to “poke a bear a little bit” and tackle difficult subjects like the changing drinking habits among Gen Z and the impact of the Covid pandemic on the industry. It also addresses the challenges that the recent increases in government excises have brought about.
BrewCon 2019 will be the first in-person beer event in 2019. It comes at a difficult time for many in the industry. Lethbridge claims that many independent breweries were able to limp through the pandemic with government help. Still, their depleted reserve funds could not cope with the economic pressures in the last year.
In addition to the fact that beer production and shipping are more expensive than before, drinkers have also tightened their belts and chosen cheaper alternatives.
Lethbridge: “This year we are seeing the concertina effect in action.” “And due to inflation, consumers are spending less on everything. The consumers are worried about the electricity bill and how to feed their children. They’re not going to purchase a high-end product at the price we are. We’ve seen many large, medium, and large groups enter voluntary administration in this year.”
Lethbridge, despite the challenges, says that she expects this year’s BrewCon to be a positive event, especially the peer-voted Indies Awards, which celebrate the best brews across a variety of categories. Six new trophies were added to reflect the increasingly diverse tastes of Australians. The competition for the top awards is fiercer than ever.
Lethbridge said that the top prize last year reflects a return of prominence for larger. Lager was Australia’s most popular beer style, thanks to mainstream brands like VB, XXXX, and Tooheys New. However, craft brewers had largely abandoned it.
Lethbridge: “I thought we left that to the big boys.” Last year, we said, ‘Whoa! Look at all the lagers entered in the Indies Awards. It was a big deal. This year, we’ve seen the same thing, which is why we examined that category and introduced some sub-styles because of it. “People are making some great lagers.”
