<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The cost of a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/alcohol/5" rel="" target="_blank" title="schooner at the pub"><span>schooner at the pub</span></a><span> is about to rise after two </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/vb-turns-to-new-mid-strength-beer-as-australia-alcohol-habits-change/116eb7c4-71b7-4762-a861-58a263c80396" rel="" target="_blank" title="major brewers"><span>major brewers</span></a><span> moved to hike tap beer prices.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lion, which brews the likes of XXXX Gold, Hahn, James Boags and Little Creatures, confirmed it has made the "difficult decision" to raise the price of some of its draught beer, blaming cost inflation in Australia's embattled hospitality industry.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Despite a welcome pause in excise rises for tap beer, the brewing and hospitality industries have continued to experience cost inflation over the last couple of years, and market conditions remain difficult," a spokesperson for Lion told </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/?rf=true" rel="" target="_blank" title="nine.com.au."><span>nine.com.au.</span></a></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>FINANCE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/downsizing-costs-why-stamp-duty-moving-expenses-agent-fees-are-stopping-homeowners-explained/973605d4-c526-4a1c-aa19-715eddc12aef" target="_blank"><strong><span>The $78,000 fee stopping baby boomers from downsizing</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The beer giant said it had seen a significant rise in costs including materials, wages, warehousing and distribution.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Lion is committed to striking the right balance between competitive pricing and recovering some of the costs passed onto us from our suppliers in a stubbornly high inflation environment," the spokesperson added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fellow beer giant Asahi – the parent company of iconic Australian favourites Victoria Bitter (VB), Carlton, Pure Blonde, Crown and Great Northern, has also increased its tap beer prices.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/tap-beer-price-rise-how-asahi-lian-increases-impact-prices-at-the-pub-explained/9730565d-d6f2-4245-a780-48070f7a4034" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A keg of VB now costs $415.10, a price increase of $13.90.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This amounts to about 40c per schooner.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Pub owners say this price hike is going to hit customers at the bar.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Phil Anderson owns and operates The MiTCH in Alexandria, in Sydney's inner-south, and said margins for pubs are already "very, very thin".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tweed-council-fined-woman-6000-over-tiny-swap-meet-market/755cb54e-3798-4593-b3c5-8bc06578037c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Peita was slapped with $6000 fine for hosting 'tiny' swap meet</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He warned the price of schooner could near the $14 mark as venues desperately try claw back profits, with many owners having "no choice" but to raise the cost at the cash register.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Any increase to the price has to be passed onto the customer straight away," Anderson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In response to the price hikes, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has recommended that operators charge $9.50 for a schooner of VB, XXXX Gold and Carlton Draught.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Before the price increases, the AHA recommended $9.10 for the same brands.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Anderson said this still leaves little room to make any profit.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"People don't understand that it's not just the pub trying to make money," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is these multinational groups."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LATEST:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jackie-henderson-leaves-the-kyle-and-jackie-o-show-after-22-years-kyles-future-at-risk/0d1d1dd6-e805-4ca6-b1cf-356dbe6faca2" target="_blank"><strong><span>Kyle fill-in's message for listeners after Jackie O quits radio show</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australians-extra-week-of-leave-per-year/3f69eacf-298c-411f-8a61-0e7cc1c35af6" target="_blank"><strong><span>Plan to hand Aussies an extra week of annual leave</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He'd love to stock more independent Australian brands, but Anderson said a good pub can't avoid having beers like VB on tap.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"People love to buy them," he said of the Asahi and Lion duopoly's popular draughts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Proprietors like Anderson </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tax-relief-for-beer-lovers-but-spirits-drinkers-call-for-reform-of-broken-system/b582f1b3-3bca-4d84-924b-09aaf5f63023" rel="" target="_blank" title="have welcomed the federal government's beer tax excise"><span>have welcomed the federal government's beer tax excise</span></a><span>, but say it amounts to nothing if prices keep soaring.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The House of Representatives last month approved a bill temporarily freezing excise on draught </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/beer" target="" title="beer"><span>beer</span></a><span> in a move the government pitched as a cost-of-living measure.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It has been a short-lived relief.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every six months there is a price increase anyway," Anderson added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a 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