Victoria Bitter beer

Victoria Bitter, universally known as VB, is one of Australia's most iconic and best-selling beers. Its origins date back to 1854 when Scottish immigrant Thomas Aitken developed the recipe at the Victoria Brewery in East Melbourne. Despite its name, VB is technically a standard commercial lager rather than a traditional bitter, brewed using a wortstream process that incorporates cane sugar and Pride of Ringwood hops to achieve its characteristic flavor.

Over the decades, the brand became a cultural staple in Australia, famously marketed with the slogan "A hard-earned thirst needs a big cold beer." Historically, the brand was part of the Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) stable, which underwent several changes in ownership, including stints under the Foster's Group, SABMiller, and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Since June 2020, the brand has been under the ownership of the Japanese beverage giant Asahi Group Holdings, which acquired CUB for approximately $16 billion AUD. Today, VB continues to be brewed primarily at the CUB Abbotsford plant in Melbourne and other regional facilities across Australia, maintaining its position as a cornerstone of the Australian liquor market.