Australians are famous for their love of alcohol with most outsiders viewing Aussies, alongside the Irish, as the hardest drinkers in the world. It is quite a reputation and one that has been cultivated over a long period of time. Fuelled by famous stories of excess, like the David Boon bender, on a flight with the Australian cricket team, from Sydney to London ahead of an Ashes Series. But while Australians are famous for their drinking, what is it that they drink? Scratch the surface and you will soon see that Aussies are not just beer drinkers, there is a lot of other action going on as well.
Spirits
As is the case with the rest of the world, Australia has recently seen a huge upswing in the consumption of gin. For a long time, the old standard of gin and tonic was powered by Gordons or Tanqueray. But a lot has changed in recent times with micro-distilled and artisanal gins becoming the order of the day. In this regard there is plenty of uniquely Australian gin available in the market and it is currently one of the most popular beverages in Australia. Sample some of the local products at a gin bar near year. What is interesting about gin is that it can be distilled in around a day. Unlike other drinks that take a lot longer to mature and age, a good gin is ready to be drunk within twenty-four hours.
Wine
Australia is very famous for its wine and is currently the fifth-largest wine-producing country in the world – and the largest in the southern hemisphere. The only countries that produce more wine than Australia are Spain, Italy, France and the United States of America. Interestingly though, when placed on a list of highest wine consumption by litre per capita, then Australia fails to register in the top twenty on a list that is topped by Andorra and Croatia.
You cannot avoid beer
Ask almost anyone what drink they associate with Australia and they will more than likely say beer. Push them harder for a name and they will almost certainly tell you Fosters, Victoria Bitter of VB and XXXX. Of course, there are plenty of other brands and the craft revolution has firmly taken hold in Australia, but if you ask anyone from the outside world how they view Australians, those are the stereotypical Australia brands that they will know.
It’s not all alcohol
Despite their reputations as hard drinkers Australia does also produce some beverages that are unique it is own and completely alcohol-free. One of these is the very popular Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Bundaberg is a large brewer who makes a range of drinks with alcohol, but it is their craft Ginger Beer that has captured the imagination of the world and which is now exported extensively. Made with locally grown ginger and sugar cane it is brewed according to a recipe that has allegedly been handed down from generation to generation.