The unprecedented changes we have made to our lives due to COVID-19 have caused many small businesses to venture into unchartered territory. Staff are rapidly developing new ideas to stay afloat. Government restrictions have caused upheaval in the hospitality industry, particularly for independent breweries. In fact, this week the Independent Brewers Association has made a formal request to the Federal Government for more financial support for the industry.
While the industry waits to hear the results of this application, many businesses have taken clever, creative, and sometimes unusual steps to ensure they can keep their doors open.
There are breweries offering drive thru services and free beer delivery. Some have further developed their dining and takeaway food offerings and others are putting together fruit and vegetable boxes for sale. Since the demand for hospital grade sanitiser has skyrocketed, several independent breweries have teamed up with distilleries to make their own. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration has even changed its rules to make it easier for breweries to meet their standards. Breweries will no longer require government approval if they use one of the recipes provided by the World Health Organisation.
Leading independent online magazine, The Crafty Pint has shifted their focus in recent months to join the fight for the craft beer industry’s survival. They have developed the #keepinglocalalive campaign to raise awareness and offer support to struggling breweries, venues, and retailers. Their website contains a helpful resource that lists the innovative ideas that small businesses have come up with which gives the public an opportunity to help where they can. Be sure to visit the Crafty Pint’s #keepinglocalalive website, their Facebook page and their Instagram.
Cavalier Brewery has responded to social distancing restrictions, stating that “in these tough times, reinvention is necessary to stay afloat.” Their taproom has always been open for takeaways but now more than ever, they are “your one stop craft beer bottle-o,” and are urging customers to “fill a growler, juice bottle or a milk jug” from their taps with delivery available in Derrimut.
