In search of authentic and regional flavours, beer drinkers around the world have been riding the very cool wave of small, craft or micro brewery beers. This brewing boom has been sweeping Australia for more than two years, with beer drinkers shunning the larger conglomerates who have held their position at the top of the beer-consuming tree for too long. For the past two years, one small brewery opened each week with industry figures showing that In the six months to June 30 last year, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) issued 75 alcohol excise licences to small to medium-sized businesses to manufacture beer. This followed the growth in 2017 when around 1.7 new licences were issued each week to a small brewer. A micro, or craft, brewery is typically much smaller than large corporate operations and produces small amounts of beer. They are most often a tiny and sometimes, exploratory venture for people who love their beer and wanted to create something of their own. Research showed that 64 per cent of consumers want to know who owns the beer they're drinking while 99 per cent are happy to buy from an independent brewery. Most craft or micro beers are characterised by their emphasis on quality, flavour and brewing technique. Small producers have a story behind them and often the community they serve. To differentiate from the larger corporates and protect small businesses, the Independent Brewers Association (IBA) was launched. The association aims to further the interests of small brewers who as members, refer to themselves as independent brewers. The IBA distinct seal is designed to help Australian-owned, independent breweries distinguish themselves from larger, multinational beer companies. Craft beer fans can easily support Australian-owned, independent breweries by identifying this seal on each bottle.