The Yenda packaged range

Many Australian drinkers remain confused and intimidated by craft beer, according to the creator of the new Yenda range of beers from the Coca-Cola Amatil and Casella joint venture, Australian Beer Company.

By clearly displaying scales for malt and hop intensity on its labels, Yenda aims to “take the fear out of craft” and educate drinkers about beer styles, Australian Beer Company general manager Derek O’Donnell told Radio Brews News.

He says his research into craft beer found that some drinkers avoid it because the flavours are too overpowering, because it’s too expensive, or because they find it intimidating.

“I was struck by the number of people who said, ‘you have to really know about beer to be able to drink craft beer’,” he said.

“By putting on that malt and hop intensity, by no means are we trying to claim that’s a universal standard, but we’re just trying to help people make their decision.”

Consumers don’t like crown seal
O’Donnell said his team had also listened to drinkers in choosing twist top as a bottle closure rather than the traditional crown seal, as is typically favoured in the craft segment.

“We were struck by the number of consumers saying they were really frustrated by having to get out their bottle opener to open a craft beer,” he said.

O’Donnell (pictured) said the Yenda beers are “a stepping stone into craft” that should benefit the entire category.

“My view is, I’m not competing with the craft brewers of Australia at all, in fact I’m trying to help grow them,” he said.

“I don’t see why craft beer can’t reach 10 to 15 per cent of total beer in Australia.”

Also in the podcast, Matt Kirkegaard and Pete Mitcham discuss responsible drinking messages and the beer skolling antics of Australian prime ministers past and present.

Episode 50 of Radio Brews News is available here.