From mass-produced lagers to innovative craft brews, beer is a staple of Australian culture. In a market increasingly influenced by international players, the statistics show that Mexican beer brand, Corona, takes the popular vote, but state pride still stands out.
Brand tracking platform, Tracksuit, surveyed over 4500 Australians to reveal the nation's favourite beer, with international lager, Corona, receiving 12 per cent of the vote. On a state level however, it was clear that beer drinkers often have a preference towards a locally-made option – except in Western Australia.
According to the data:
- Queensland – Great Northern (16 per cent) and XXXX (10 per cent), are significantly more likely to be preferred in their home state than the national average. Great Northern and XXXX are the top preferred brands within the region, sitting above Corona.
- Victoria – Victoria locals’ have a clear preference for Carlton (10 per cent) and VB (9 per cent), significantly over-indexing within the state compared to the national preference.
- New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory – Originating in New South Wales, preference for Toohey's among those in the state sits at 7 per cent, significantly higher than the national average (3 per cent).
- South Australia – Locally-grown Coopers sees a significantly greater preference within South Australia (14 per cent) compared to the national average. It also leads as the top preferred beer within the state. Interestingly, New South Wales native, Hahn, also bucks the national trend in this region (sitting at 8 per cent, compared to the national average of 4 per cent).
- Western Australia – Uniquely, Corona leads Western Australia’s beer preferences, sitting at 19 per cent, which is significantly higher than the national average of 12 per cent.
Tracksuit co-founder and co-CEO, Connor Archbold, said despite an international beer brand being crowned the nation’s favourite, there's still a deep-rooted love for the local brews in Australia, and that's down to years of history and great brand building.
“This enduring love presents a significant opportunity for local breweries to double down on their authentic Australian identity in a way that international brands can’t,” said Archbold.
“By getting under the skin of what’s really driving consumer choices on a state-by-state level and understanding where those strong pockets of local support are – or even where there might be some untapped potential - homegrown Aussie brands can really set themselves apart.
“This kind of focused understanding means marketing can be way more effective, brand strategies can be sharper, and you can make smarter calls about where to put your energy and dollars to resonate deeply with local beer enthusiasts.”
Beer consumption in Australia has previously been observed to be dropping overall, showing in the survey results with the most common national response being “I don’t drink beer” – at 34 per cent. Women and Australians aged 55+ were a key demographic driver of this result, with 50 per cent of women selecting this option, compared to 18 per cent of men.
