These Are the Craft Beer Trends to Look Out For in 2026
We spoke with Trent from Smiley Brewing Co about the craft beers that are flying out the door in 2026.
Since the craft beer boom of the 2010s, there's been no shortage of brews to test out in watering holes across the country. Whether you like your tinnie with a pineapple tasting note or prefer a smooth lager brewed just down the road, local craft beer remains a hugely popular subset of the hospitality industry. As a result, suburbs outside the inner-city enclaves of Fitzroy and Brunswick are building their own breweries and craft-beer-loving communities.
Smiley Brewing Co. is the first microbrewery and taproom in the Melbourne suburb of Packenham. It was founded in 2023 by partners Trent and Kylie Butcher and is located in a modern warehouse on one of Packenham's industrial estates. The ingredients in their brews are sourced locally whenever possible, and they serve a core range of up to seven award-winning beers alongside cocktails, wine, and a rotation of delicious food trucks. Given that Trent and Kylie are in the thick of Melbourne's brewery operations, we spoke with Trent to learn more about the flavours and habits that are shaping the craft beer landscape in 2026.
Crisp Lagers Are Back
Over the past decade, we've seen a myriad of wild and wacky craft beers flood the market. According to Trent, however, people are now gravitating towards the classics: the humble lager.
"We have an Australian lager, which is always extremely popular and usually our biggest mover." This popularity was reflected in Smiley Breweries' seasonal sip over the summer: the Mexican Cerveza, AKA Mexican lager.
"Australia tends to follow the patterns of what happens in the US," says Trent. "Crisper lager-style beers are tending to be more popular." These beers prioritise refreshment over intensity, proving that perhaps people are trying to get back to the simple things in life.
Hazy Still Isn't Going Anywhere
Known for its juicy, tropical flavour profile and velvety mouthfeel, Hazy beers (like Indian Pale Ales) are still high up on breweries' lists. "Hazy beers tend to do well, and they have for a couple of years. We have a hazy pale ale, which is a big seller. It alternates between that and the draught beer as to what's the biggest mover for the month," Trent divulges.
Sober Curiosity Is On The Rise
One of the biggest shifts in the craft beer space isn't about flavours but how people are drinking. "Mid-strength, lower ABV [alcohol by volume] options are popular," shares Trent. "Not everybody's out to drink to get drunk as such."
Instead, drinkers are opting for moderation, without sacrificing taste. And a good craft beer, Trent says, is something that you want to go back for more of. "It's something that you can sit and drink and comfortably have a few beers and not feel like you've had too much or that the beer itself is too heavy or too complex."
What's Next?
As the weather cools down (and we move away from Mexican Lagers), what's on the menu for Smiley Brewing Co and other local breweries? "Moving into autumn, we're just about to brew an amber ale, which is a popular autumn beer," says Trent. "And then as we move into the cooler months, we'll go for more of the darker beers like stouts."
Smiley Brewing Co. opened in a suburb without a local craft brewery and pub. In the years since, the brewery has become a pub and community gathering spot, giving locals access to great Australian craft beers. Across the board, there's clearly a desire to focus on beer that people know and love, not just the novelty chocolate and lime craft brews of yesteryear. If the last decade of craft beer was about pushing the limits, in 2026, brewers are pulling back just a fraction to meet drinkers where they are.
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