Beer arrived in Australia at the beginning of British colonisation. In 2004 Australia was ranked fourth internationally in per capita beer consumption, at around 110 litres per year; although, the nation ranked considerably lower in a World Health Organization report of alcohol consumption per capita of 12.2 litres. Lager is by far the most popular type of beer consumed in Australia. The oldest brewery still in operation is the Cascade Brewery, established in Tasmania in 1824. The largest Australian-owned brewery is the family-owned Coopers Brewery, as the other two major breweries Carlton & United Breweries and Lion Nathan are owned by Japan's Asahi and Kirin Brewing Company respectively. Non-alcohol beer variations continue to increase their market share in Australia. According to BWS in December 2019, non alcoholic beer sales had risen 60% since July that year. Market characteristics Within an alcoholic beverage market worth some $16.3 billion, beer comprises about 48% compared to wine at 29% and spirits at 21%. Within the beer sector, premium beers have a 7.8% share of the market; full-strength beer has 70.6%; mid-strength holds 12%; and light beer has 9.6%. 85% of beer is produced by national brewers, the remainder by regional or microbreweries. Microbreweries manufacturing less than 30,000 litres receive a 60% excise rebate. History 18th century The history of Australian beer starts very early in Australia's colonial history. Captain James Cook brought beer with him on his ship Endeavour as a means of preserving drinking water. On 1 August 1768, as Cook was fitting out the Endeavour for its voyage, Nathaniel Hulme wrote to Joseph Banks with a recommendation: Beer was still being consumed on-board two years later in 1770, when Cook was the first European to discover the east coast of Australia. The drink of choice for the first settlers and convicts was rum, as represented in a supposed traditional convict song: Cut yer name across me backbone Stretch me skin across yer drum Iron me up on Pinchgut Island From now to Kingdom Come. I'll eat yer Norfolk Dumpling Like a juicy Spanish plum, Even dance the Newgate Hornpipe If ye'll only gimme Rum! The first official brewer in Australia was John Boston who brewed a beverage from Indian corn bittered with cape gooseberry leaves. It is likely though that beer was brewed unofficially much earlier. The first pub, the Mason Arms was opened in 1796 in Parramatta by James Larra,