Breweries from all corners of the country and around the world are celebrating after the results of the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) were announced last night in Melbourne, with Western Australian brewery Beerland Brewing taking out Champion Australian Beer for their Beerland Wheat Beer (Draught).

Champion International Beer was awarded to California-based brewery Three Weavers Brewing Company for their Knotty (Packaged) beer, who were also awarded Best IPA for the same brew.

The largest annual beer competition in the world judging both draught and packaged beer, the AIBA celebrated 26 years of recognising the world’s best beers this year, attracting record participation with 2178 entries across the beer categories, including 120 entries received in the design and media categories.

“Interest in AIBA continues to grow – this year we had entries from twenty eight countries and almost every state of Australia. We also added new sub-classes to the competition to ensure we are adjusting to the trends of the expanding beer market”, said Paul Guerra, CEO, The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV).

In other top honours, Mountain Goat Pty Ltd, from Victoria were awarded Champion Large Australian Brewery, whilst Firestone Walker Brewing Co. from California, were awarded Champion Large International Brewery.

Green Beacon Brewing Co, from Queensland were awarded Champion Medium Australian Brewery, with German Mahrs Bräu Bamberg GMBH awarded Champion Medium International Brewery.

Queensland’s wins continued with Champion Small Australian Brewery won by Black Hops Brewing, whilst New Zealand took home the last of the Champion brewery honours with Kereru Brewing Company Limited, awarded Champion Small International Brewery.

The Australian Gypsy Brewer Award was presented to New South Wales brewers Philter Brewing, who began production in 2017, and the Gary Shephard Memorial Trophy for Best New Exhibitor was awarded to Victorian Microbrewery, Brownstone.

MAJOR TROPHIES

Champion Australian Beer presented by Barrett Burston Malting Co & Cryer Malt Beerland Wheat Beer (Draught) – Beerland Brewing, Whitfords WA, Australia

Champion International Beer presented by RASV Knotty (Packaged) – Three Weavers Brewing Company, California, USA

Champion Large Australian Brewery presented by Barrett Burston Malting Co Mountain Goat Beer Pty Ltd, Vic, Australia

Champion Large International Brewery presented by Hop Products Australia on behalf of Barth Haas Group Firestone Walker Brewing Co., California, USA

Champion Medium Australian Brewery presented by CryerMalt Green Beacon Brewing Co, QLD, Australia

Champion Medium International Brewery presented by RASV Mahrs Bräu Bamberg GMBH, Franconia/Bavaria, Germany

Champion Small Australian Brewery presented by FB*PROPAK Black Hops Brewing, QLD, Australia

Champion Small International Brewery presented by RASV Kereru Brewing Company Limited, Wellington, NZ

Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy for Best New Exhibitor Brownstone Microbrewery, Vic, Australia

Australian Gypsy Brewer Award presented by FB*PROPAK Philter Brewing, NSW, Australia

Best Australian Style Lager presented by RASV Hawke’s Lager (Draught) – Hawke’s Brewing Co., NSW, Australia

Best European Style Lager (excluding Pilsner) presented by RASV Firestone Lager (Packaged) – Firestone Walker Brewing Co., California, USA

Best International Lager presented by RASV Dagon Lager Beer (Draught) – Dagon Beverages Co., Ltd., Myanmar

Best Pilsner presented by Brews News Moo Brew Pilsner (Draught) – Moo Brew, Tasmania, Australia

Best Amber / Dark Lager presented by Hopco Hunter Bock (Draught) – Hunter Beer Co., NSW, Australia

Best Australian Style Pale Ale presented by Plasdene Glass-Pak Pty Ltd Philter XPA (Packaged) – Philter Brewing, NSW, Australia

Best New World-Style Pale Ale presented by Hop Products Australia Hubert MPA (Packaged) – Melvin Brewing, WY, USA

Best International Style Pale Ale presented by The Post Project Billfish APA (Packaged) – Bach Brewing, Auckland, NZ

Best British Style Ale (excluding IPA and Pale Ale) presented by RASV Glamarama Summer Ale (Draught) – Sydney Brewery, NSW, Australia

Best European Style Ale presented by RASV Cha Chaan Teng Gose (Packaged) – Young Master Brewery, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Best IPA presented by Kegstar Knotty (Packaged) – Three Weavers Brewing Company, California, USA

Best Amber / Dark Ale presented by Hopco Two Birds Sunset (Draught) – Two Birds Brewing, Vic, Australia

Best Porter presented by Weyermann Specialty Malts Temptress (Draught) – Holgate Brewhouse Pty Ltd, Vic, Australia

Best Stout presented by RASV Spies Like Us (Packaged) – Wormtown Brewery, MA, USA

Best Reduced / Low alcohol beer presented by RASV Nail MVP (Draught) – Nail Brewing Australia, WA, Australia

Best Wheat Beer presented by RASV Beerland Wheat Beer (Draught) – Beerland Brewing, Whitfords WA, Australia

Best Belgian / French Ale presented by RASV Beach House (Draught) – Black Hops Brewing, QLD, Australia

Best Scotch Ale / Barley Wine presented by RASV Bohemia Wee Heavy (Packaged) – Cervejaria Bohemia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Best Specialty Beer presented by GABS Captain of the Coast (Packaged) – Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon, USA

DESIGN

Best Design – Label / Surface Graphic presented by Labelmakers South West Sour – Colonial Brewing Company, WA, Australia

Best Design – Outer Packaging presented by RASV Sawmill – Multipacks – Sawmill Brewery, NZ

MEDIA

Best Media – Presented by The Crafty Pint William Ziebell (The Crafty Pint), Vic, Australia

CONSISTENCY OF EXCELLENCE – Presented by RASV

Fixation IPA, (Draught) – Fixation Brewing Co., Victoria, Australia Weihenstephan Kristall Weissbier, (Packaged) – Weihenstephan, Bavaria, Germany