| Australia |
 Australia's beer brewing history started before the first settlers even
reached shore. When Captain James Cook traveled to Australia in
1768, his ship's hold boasted 4 tons of beer.
He also took
along brewing equipment so that more beer could be brewed onboard,
convinced that the fermentation process would mask the smell of bad water
and that beer would keep the sailors healthy.
Brewing Tradition Rum was originally the Australian colonists' drink of choice, but in an effort to reduce crime and other social ills, local government officials mounted a campaign to replace these "spirituous liquors" with beer as Australia's national beverage. The campaign was successful, and by the mid-1800's, beer was the favored drink in Australia. Early Australian-brewed beer was warm, heavy and sweet, tainted by extreme heat, the local wild yeasts and greedy brewers who watered down their brews. Throughout the 19th century, colonists preferred imported beer to locally-brewed beer. However, in the late 19th century, breweries like Foster's pioneered Australian lager brewing. The light, ice cold ale was a hit in Australia's warm climate and quickly grew in popularity. Today, Australian lager continues to be the beer of choice in the Land Down Under.
Australia is unique in that each state is loyal to the beer brewed in its home state, so each state has its own most popular beer. Victoria Bitter (VB) is the only beer with wide popularity outside of its home state of Victoria. Hahn and Crown Lager also have relatively wide appeal. Interestingly, Foster's Lager, which is wildly popular internationally, is not as popular in Australia. This may be because of the way Australians are portrayed in international marketing campaigns. Here are some of the most popular and well-known beers brewed in the land down under: Victoria Bitter (VB) (Victoria) Hahn (New South Wales) Crown Lager (Victoria) Castlemaine XXXX (Queensland) Coopers (South Australia) Tooheys (New South Wales) Swan (Western Australia) Boag's (Northern Tasmania) Cascade (Southern Tasmania) Carlton Draught (Victoria) Foster's Lager (Victoria) Interesting Fact Aussies are hooked on Vegemite, a brewer's yeast spread which they incorporate into their daily diets. The spread is actually a byproduct of the beer brewing process and is said to have many health benefits. Recommended Reading A Beer Drinker's Guide to Australia and New Zealand 
Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey Into Australia
The Breweries of Australia: A History
Amber and Black: Premium Beers in Australia
Beer and Malt Manufacturing in Australia (Industry Report)
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