BIG BUSINESS IS KILLING THE AUSSIE CRAFT BEER MARKET, LOCAL BREWER CLAIMS.

Three men sitting against a yellow brick wall, laughing, holding drinks. Green cooler with "Esky" text. Casual summer attire, relaxed vibe.

If you’re sipping on beers that look cool and craft but taste like meh, there’s a reason for that.

According to Jonny Bucknall, founder of Freshwater Brewing Co. on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, your ‘local’ is probably brewed in a factory.

“Let’s be real – this is beer by spreadsheet,” says Bucknall. “It's like buying a ‘handmade’ candle from Kmart.”

Freshwater Brewing is throwing down the gauntlet on what they’re calling craft-washing – when giant companies design beers to look small-batch and indie.

He said they were actually brewed by billion-dollar businesses, and it’s killing real local breweries.

Big retailers flood bottle shop shelves with faux craft brands, and because the packaging is all rainbows and retro vibes, most people don’t realise that they’re just supermarket beers in a craft costume.

“10% of independent breweries shut down last year,” Bucknall says. “You think it’s inflation? Nah, it’s because big beer is undercutting and out muscling the little guys — then buying them up when they fold.”

Freshwater’s Hyper-Local Advantage

While others scramble to survive, Freshwater Brewing thrives thanks to its fiercely independent, community-first model.

“We built this brewery to serve our Northern Beaches community - 95% of our sales are to locals. That means super fresh beer, and that’s the only way to drink it,” says Bucknall.

“This is a crunch point for independent beer,” Bucknall says. “If we don’t support local breweries now, we risk losing them.”

Three cans of "Freshwater" beer in blue, orange, and yellow designs chill in a cooler filled with ice. Sunny outdoor mood.

The Rebellion Starts Here

Freshwater Brewing has launched a Birchal equity crowdfund so regular Aussies can actually own a slice of the beer they drink.

They’re looking to raise $500K to build a new bar, get their own canning line, and scale the hell out of their grassroots model.

“Most of our sales come from locals who back us,” says Bucknall.

Why Craft Beer Matters

Supermarket brands now control 5% of Australia’s beer market.
Independents produce just 7% of beer — but employ over 10,000 people.
Retailers are axing hundreds of indie SKUs, while keeping their own knock-off brands.
Faux craft = less flavour, zero transparency, and no soul.

“If this was food packaging, there’d be a national scandal,” Bucknall says. “People deserve to know who’s really behind their beer.”