News Corp Australia
First published 26 Jun 2026, 5:00pm
Shrinking housing allotments have resulted in the backyard shed becoming somewhat of a luxury and, along with it, a place for homeowners to brew their own beer.
The demise of the traditional quarter-acre block is impacting far more than the generations of kids who will never experience the joy of swinging from a Hills Hoist.
Home brewers are now lamenting smaller land parcels are also killing DIY beer.
Shrinking housing allotments have resulted in the backyard shed becoming somewhat of a luxury and, along with it, a place for homeowners to brew their own beer.
As cost-of-living pressures force beer drinkers to look for more economical ways to enjoy the beverage, home brews have become increasingly popular – but a lack of space to concoct the amber fluid has proved challenging for some.
As cost-of-living pressures force beer drinkers to look for more economical ways to enjoy the beverage, home brews have become increasingly popular. Picture: Supplied.
“Home brewing has traditionally taken place in the backyard shed, which provided plenty of room for large batches of DIY beer,’’ said Scott Harris, brewing product marketing manager at Coopers Brewery, which is launching a new small batch DIY brew kit to cater to those confined to smaller homes and apartments.
“Now with smaller block sizes and people looking for more affordable, compact houses, space is at a premium.
“Home brewers are increasingly seeking locations inside the home for their hobby and a
kitchen or laundry bench or other small space is perfect for small batch brewing.
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“Our new DIY Small Batch brew kit is designed to produce 10 litres of beer, the equivalent of one carton, so takes up much less space than the larger kits.’’
Australian house blocks are now just a fraction of what they used to be, with research from Oliver Hume last year showing the typical Adelaide lot is now 375sqm – 100sqm less than it was in 2020.
Only south-east Queensland is bucking the trend, with lot sizes up slightly from 417sqm to 420sqm, the research showed.
Shrinking properties have not only hampered the efforts of backyard beer brewers, but also those wanting to tend their own fruit orchard or keep their own chooks.
There’s often no longer the space required to have a game of backyard cricket, bounce on a trampoline or even hang the washing to dry on a traditional Hills Hoist clothes line.
Experts say the ability to build greater number of homes, while keeping prices down, is largely behind the decline in land size.
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