Tasmania's food and beverage tourism experience has just been embellished with the launch of a beer trail.
The state government contributed $250,000 and the Brewers Association $100,000 to a beer tourism plan, website and beer trail.
The trail was launched at Salamanca in Hobart this morning and follows similar wine, whisky and cider trails already established in Tasmania.
Chief executive of the Brewers Association of Australia and New Zealand Denita Wawn said the trail will help increase regional tourism.
"There is far more to Tasmanian beer than just having the oldest brewery in Australia.
"This is an opportunity to showcase and have a one stop shop," Ms Wawn said.
Whilst regular beer consumption per capita in Australia is declining, sales of craft beer are rising at 10 per cent a year.
David McGill from microbrewer Moo Brew in Hobart said the co-operative approach to marketing with the big brewers will benefit the entire sector.
"We always work closely with wine, the cider and the whisky so it can only benefit each individual sector if we all work together, " Mr McGill said.
"Rather than competing against one another, Ms Wawn said the various beverage trails create a "critical mass".
"We need to encourage people to Tasmania generally and have combined experiences.
"One job in a brewery creates 30 jobs up and down the supply chain, so this for us is not just about promotion of beer in Tasmania but the whole of the tourism and hospitality industry.
"As well as supporting our growers who provide us the barley and the hops," Ms Wawn said.
