Craft Breweries changing nation’s drinks market

Media Release

Australia’s booming craft beer and cider markets are changing the service offered by the nation’s hotels, restaurants and clubs, according to drinks dispensing equipment manufacturer and supplier, Hoshizaki Lancer.

Outlets with only a limited range of mainstream beers are being overwhelmed by multi-tap venues offering unique premium craft and imported beers, ciders and in some cases, wine.

Hoshizaki Lancer’s Managing Director, Mr Joe Thorp, said many hotels and clubs were installing beverage systems with banks of as many as 15 to 20 taps.

“In the past 12 to 18 months, we have been installing larger and larger dispensing systems to meet the demand of our customer,” he said.

“While some taps are devoted to the well-loved high volume brands, more are being used for premium craft and imported beers.

“The growing cider market is adding a further layer of complexity, with draught cider adding to the mix and competing for available tap space.”

Hoshizaki Lancer is based in Adelaide and designs, manufactures and installs quality draught beer, soft drink and wine dispensing systems. The beer systems are also supplied to all major breweries and installation contractors in Australia.

Mr Thorp said that while drink dispensing systems in hotels and clubs were gettinglarger, restaurants were also moving to draught beer systems.

“In the past restaurants have generally offered a relatively limited range of bottled
beer for diners,” he said.

“However, because of diner demand for craft and premium beers, increasingnumbers of restaurants across Australia are now installing draught beer systems.

“Many pubs and function centres are also installing dispensing systems to pour wineby the glass, as well as beer and cider.”

Mr Thorp said Hoshizaki Lancer had installed more than 1000 new beveragedispensing systems across Australia in the past 12 months.

Many of these replaced older pourage systems with limited tap numbers. Hoshizaki Lancer had also significantly expanded its service division after winning amajor contract with brewing giant Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) to providemaintenance and repair services to thousands of hotels, clubs, liquor stores,restaurants and bars around Australia.