Chris Shanahan: Hard times ain’t what they used to be

According to South Australia’s Coopers Brewery, increasing sales of home-brew kits are a litmus of tough economic conditions. But hard times ain’t what they used to be.

In a press release earlier this month the company said that sales of home brew products began moving up last March ‘when interest rates reached 7.25%’ and have surged again as the volume of bad economic news increased.

As the world’s leading producer of malt extract used by many home brewers, and a manufacturer of home brew kits, Coopers is perhaps better positioned than any brewery to spot the trend.

In earlier recessions people turned to basic home brewing to save money. While saving money remains a motivator, it seems that today’s home brewers demand upmarket international beer styles.

Presumably they enjoyed premium beers during the good times and are determined to keep the habit even if it means brewing it themselves.

Coopers says it currently offers 19 different beer styles for home brewing and plans to increase the range to meet the new demand.