The latest findings from Roy Morgan Research reveal that 38.1 per cent of Australian adults drink beer at least once in any given four-week period and more than three-quarters of them are men.
In the year to March 2016, 5.3 million Australian men drank some kind of beer – premium, imported and/or standard, low-alcohol and/or full-strength – in an average four weeks, compared to 1.7 million women. Consumed by 47.6 per cent of men in this period, standard beer wins out over premium/imported (37.1 per cent), and full-strength (53.6 per cent) is far more popular than mid-strength (13.6 per cent) or low-alcohol (10.1 per cent).
When it comes to brands favoured, the Roy Morgan data reveals a tightly contested field, with three very different beers battling it out for top spot.
In an average seven-day period, 11.1 per cent of beer-drinking men consume Carlton Draught, fractionally ahead of Mexico’s most famous cerveza, Corona (11 per cent) and Queensland’s mid-strength staple, XXXX Gold (11 per cent).
Victoria Bitter satisfies the hard-earned thirst of 8.5 per cent of Australia’s beer-drinking men, while Coopers Pale Ale completes the top five at eight per cent.
Roy Morgan Research Industry Communications Director Norman Morris says things have changed dramatically since back in 2007, when VB dominated as the beer of choice for one in five Australian men, and Corona didn’t even feature in the top 10.
“It is essential for beer brands wishing to achieve cut-through in this crowded market to have an in-depth and holistic understanding of the country’s beer drinkers – male and female – so as to target them more effectively,” he said.
