The Independent Brewers Association (IBA) has launched a Seal of Independence to help consumers easily identify what beers are locally owned by independent Australian brewers.

The IBA unveiled the seal at an event at Collingwood Brewery Stomping Ground, revealing plans to highlight the benefits of support for independent craft beer to the Australian public.

Encouraging consumers to #askforindiebeer, the Seal will start being seen over the next few months and will be present on beer packaging, vessels and tap points of the brewers signed up to the movement.

Similar marks of independence have already been launched overseas, with the US Brewers Association recently launching its own Independent Craft Brewer Seal.

“We want to educate all beer consumers, especially those who still consume industrialised beer made by massive multinational corporations, to ensure that they understand the variety, quality and emotional engagement that beer made by local independent breweries offers,” comments IBA board member Will Tatchell. “The​ ​trend​ ​towards​ ​locally​ ​brewed,​ ​hand-crafted​ ​beer​ ​made​ ​by​ ​small​ ​independent​ ​breweries is​ ​not​ ​a​ ​fad,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​a​ ​fundamental​ ​shift​ ​on​ ​a​ ​global​ ​scale​ ​that​ ​is​ ​bigger​ ​than​ ​just​ ​beer and more so about the stories behind the product.”

“I think this has the potential to be a game changer and provide clarity for people who care about that sort of stuff,” adds Steve Jeffares, co-founder of Stomping Ground, who was part of the committee to create the Seal. “I think it’s going to be a really good scene. I’m really excited about it.”

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