Brewers across the country including the Good Beer Co, Gage Roads and Wayward are getting beer to essential and hospitality workers.

It’s been a tricky time for breweries, with the IBA saying that brewers have seen a 69 per cent drop in sales since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

Despite this, breweries have teamed up to create hand sanitiser, open online stores and keep employees in work with delivery and takeaway functions.

And a number are even looking at donating beer to other workers in sectors which have been impacted the most by the crisis.

The Good Beer Co

Queensland’s The Good Beer Co teamed up with independent brewers across the country at the beginning of April to get beer to essential workers.

In ten days it raised enough donations to get 1,000 workers a four-pack, and 8,500 workers had registered. Now the team is on a mission to get beer to 10,000 workers.

People can donate $20 to get beers to essential workers, and The Good Beer Co has teamed up with Newstead Brewing in Queensland, Modus Operandi in New South Wales, Capital Brewing in the ACT, Van Dieman and Moo Brew in Tasmania, Stomping Ground in Victoria, Sparkke in South Australia and Sobah Non Alcoholic Beverages to deliver the beer.

The Good Beer Co founder James Grugeon said that he and his team, including Matt Farrelly and Joslyn Erikson from Hop On Brewery Tours had been working to crunch the numbers behind the scene.

“It’s been great to support them at a tough time and to work with all of them to do something good,” Grugeon told Brews News.

“The breweries involved are only covering brewing, packing and delivery costs and Matt, Jos and me are working on the campaign as volunteers – so donors can be assured their gift is benefiting our hard-working essential services workers!

“It’s been fantastic to see the first 4 packs of beers being packed up and delivered with a thank you message at brewery partners breweries across the country this week.

“And to see workers appreciating the gift and vote of thanks from Aussies who want to acknowledge their care, their courage and their generosity in keeping us safe and keeping our country going during the COVID-19 pandemic – with a good local craft beer!”

Donate a four-pack here.

Gage Roads Brewing Co

WA’s Gage Roads Brewing Co launched its ‘100 cartons to 100 hospo mates’ campaign on social media earlier this month.

The brewery called for people to nominate a friend who had lost their hospitality job due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place, to get a carton of Gage Roads Single Fin.

Gage said that within 24 hours it had received more than 4,000 nominations.

After the overwhelming response, the Gage staff got together to fund another 100 cartons, and now 200 cartons have been delivered across the country to hospitality workers.

Aaron Heary, chief operations officer at Gage Roads, said that the brewery had been around for more than 15 years and the team had a lot of mates in hospitality.

“We know they’re doing it tough at the moment, so we just wanted to help out. We know this doesn’t replace a job, but we hope that it will put a smile on a few faces.,” he said.

Wayward Brewing Co

Wayward Brewing Co is also bringing a little bit of beer to hospitality workers.

The Sydney brewery is offering to give hospitality workers with a valid RSA a six-pack of its Raspberry Berliner Weisse tinnies.

All hospitality workers need to do is head down to Wayward’s takeaway pop up and show their RSA card.

“We’ve been thinking a lot about all our friends in hospo recently. We know you’re doing it tough right now, so we want to shout you some beers to say thanks for being awesome, and we’ll get through this!” the team said in a Facebook post.