Federal Budget 2021: Tax relief on the way to small brewers and distillers

Small brewers and distillers will benefit from a tripling of the excise refund cap from $100,000 to $350,000 a year.

Eligible brewers and distillers, from July 1, will be able to receive a full remission of any excise they pay, up to an annual cap of $350,000.

They are currently entitled to a refund of 60 per cent of the excise they pay, up to an annual cap of $100,000.

Bucket Brewery's Sam Preston said the tax relief measure meant the Kempsey business could think about employing another staff member.

"We pride ourselves on employing locals," Mr Preston said.

"We can keep growing and keep producing a locally-made product."

Husband-and-wife team Sam and Amanda Preston are continuing to build their business, which employs a trainee brewer and a few casuals.

Bucket Brewery also intends to employ another trainee as a result of the extension of a wage subsidy program.

The business started in a back shed in 2015 before the cellar door opened just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Wicked Elf Beer head brewer Ryan Nilsson-Linne said the Federal Budget measure would allow small craft brewers to invest in their businesses, people and innovations.

The Port Macquarie business will purchase a canning line to package the product itself.

That will lead to the employment of two casual staff.

Mr Nilsson-Linne said the investment would also double the brewery's capacity as it would not have to hold beer in tanks for three or four weeks.

Wicked Elf Beer has been operating for 13 years.

The Farmer's Wife Distillery founder/distiller Kylie Sepos said they were delighted that the Federal Government had delivered the support that Australian craft distilleries need to grow.

"For our business, this assistance means that we can invest in a new cellar door facility and increased production which will directly result in increased local employment as well as increased visitation to our rural community," she said.

The Farmer's Wife Distillery, located at Allworth off The Bucketts Way, produces gin which pays homage to the tradition of gin making and native Australian flavours.

There are about 600 brewers and 400 distillers across Australia, with about two-thirds operating in rural and regional areas.

The changes will allow these brewers and distillers to keep more of what they earn, helping them to invest, grow and support around 15,000 Australians employed in the sector.

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