Independent Brewers Association

10/06/2026

Thanks for sharing the good news Beer & Brewer! If you want to learn more about our new True Indie Supporter membership, email us at [email protected] for more info.

The IBA's new True Indie Supporter membership invites retailers, venues and advocates to back independent beer.

08/06/2026

Welcome to our new members for May!

Five Associate Members join our growing list of new members for the year. Our Associate Members are a vital part of our indie beer community and their support is invaluable to the IBA and all of our brewery members.

Our new Associate members for May are Legit Ink, Ryefield Hops, Breww, The Energy Alliance and Universal Flavours.

The IBA is also proud to report that renewal numbers are thriving, showing that more and more breweries are seeing the value in continued membership and participation with the IBA. Thank you to all of our brewery members who have renewed their membership and continue to support the IBA.

Continued Growth for the IBA: Strong Member Retention and New Associate Members in May

05/06/2026

We couldn't agree more Bridge Road Brewers!

05/06/2026

Earlier this week, the announcement of the closure of Boag’s Brewing in Launceston came as a bit of a shock for the local community and the brewing industry across Australia.

First and foremost, our thoughts are with the 42 impacted staff, their families, and the local community. The IBA has been asked for comment in a wide range of media, and our focus has been on explaining the burgeoning costs associated with making beer and the need for the Federal Government to deal with the excise tax. Boag’s is not alone in feeling the pressures that ultimately saw Lion make a business decision.

In Tasmania, independent breweries have been making it clear that they remain open, are still local, and still rely on the pristine raw ingredients that the State is well known for.

Today, the IBA wrote to Premier Rockliff asking for those funds to be reinvested in the local brewing community.

Visit the link to read the letter and learn more about how this impacts Tasmanian Independent brewers.

Boag's closure highlights the challenges facing brewers, with calls to reinvest funding into Tasmania’s independent beer industry.

04/06/2026

The IBA is thrilled to announce the launch of a new membership category - the True Indie Supporter, further strengthening the IBA’s ability to undertake collective action.

After receiving the feedback that there are individuals, sole traders, venues and retailers that want to show their support for the independent brewing sector but didn’t know how they could get more involved, the IBA has established a new membership category which enables us to welcome in more members and active supporters of Australian independent beer.

If you are interested in becoming a True Indie Supporter, or learning more about the benefits, visit the link or get in touch at [email protected].

The IBA is expanding its membership to include independent retailers, venues and individuals that want to be part of the organisation and the independent beer movement but can’t otherwise become a member of the IBA under a new membership category – True Indie Supporter. “The Independent be...

04/06/2026

Thanks for sharing the good news The Crafty Pint!

The Indies will return in 2027 but the beer awards will look quite different to the competition’s most recent run in 2024.

The Independent Brewers Association will switch the focus to the people behind indie beer to recognise those who make the industry what it is.

We spoke to CEO Sabrina Kunz about the move and the launch of the True Indie Supporter membership category: https://tinyurl.com/ub9tckj

03/06/2026

Last month, the Victorian Government released its budget for 2026/2027 and hidden in the fine print is great news for Victoria’s independent brewers – with a commitment to fund a Beer and Cider Strategy for the state through the Drink Victoria program.

This was great news for Victorian brewers and a win for the Independent Brewers Association, with funding for the Drinks Victorian program and direct investment in the sector are key asks in our Grow Victorian Beer policy platform.

IBA Board Chair Evin Craney sits on the Drink Victorian board and recently spoke to Beer & Brewer on what the funding means to Victoria brewers.

“Beyond the funding itself, it sends a much broader message about the importance of independent beer and cider to Victoria’s economy, tourism sector and reputation for premium food and beverage production. It is recognition not only of the quality of the products being made here in Victoria, but also of the role the industry plays nationally and increasingly internationally as a leader in high-quality independent production.”

Read on at the attached link.

IBA Chair Evin Craney unpacks the significance of Victoria’s craft beer funding win for independent beer and cider.

03/06/2026

IBA Associate Member BIRA provides an affordable and practical way to verify laboratory performance, benchmark results against industry peers, and demonstrate due diligence to customers, auditors, and regulators.

BIRA applications are now open, and close on the 5th June. An annual membership includes:

All four testing rounds for 2026
Sample 6-packs for each round
Freight anywhere in Australia
Analysis and reporting packs after each round

Unlike larger international proficiency schemes that focus primarily on filtered lagers, BIRA’s samples reflect the beers Australian independent breweries actually produce, including unfiltered, hazy, and dry-hopped styles, alongside traditional filtered beers. Anyone who has attempted to measure bitterness or ABV in a heavily dry-hopped beer accurately will understand why that’s important.

When it comes to quality assurance, confidence in your lab results is just as important as the results themselves. That’s where BIRA (Brewing Industry Research Alliance) Proficiency Testing comes in. Designed specifically for independent breweries, IBA Associate Member BIRA provides an affordable ...

02/06/2026

This week, there is exciting news out of the Independent Brewers Association, with the announcement that the Indies Awards will return in 2027, evolving into a competition that recognises and celebrates the people that make up the independent brewing industry.

At this stage, the IBA has simply made the decision to refocus the competition - the next steps will involve shaping the details of the competition and getting feedback from IBA members.

“Now, more than ever, our industry wants to come together to celebrate the contributions of our colleagues and friends. We want to shine a light on exceptional achievements of the people that work so hard to make the best beer in Australia."

Says IBA CEO Sabrina Kunz.

"With the IBA celebrating 10 years in 2027, we want to create another reason for shared joy, and to continue to support a cohesive culture that has been the cornerstone of the independent brewing industry,”.

To learn more or find out how you as a member can help shape the future Indies Awards, head to the news article for more details.

In 2027, the Indies Awards will evolve into a competition that recognises and celebrates the people that make up the independent brewing industry. In 2025, due to the challenging economic environment, the IBA made the difficult decision to put the Indies Awards on hold.  While the Indies Awards wer...

28/05/2026

Indie beer has been getting some serious attention in the media lately, especially as certain members of parliament, like , ask questions about tax and ultimately, the cost of beer in Australia and the challenges that face Australian independent brewers.

But it isn't just noise in the media, as we increasingly see conversations take place in parliament about issues that affect indie brewers, and consumers increasingly understanding the pressures on indie brewers as well.

Having government representatives really understand our industry is an important step in educating, influencing and ultimately changing government policy to be more fair and supportive of the independent brewing sector.

The Independent Brewers Association has a huge library of resources that includes a factsheet on how to engage your local Member of Parliament, a comprehensive guide to ensure your voice is heard by the right people on what affects you as an indie brewer.

All members have access to this resource and many more. If you need help finding a resource, just let us know and we'll make sure you can access it!