AIBA 2019 winners announced in Melbourne
Tonight the beer industry celebrated the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne’s Docklands with 4 Pines Brewing Co winning the coveted Champion Australian Beer award.
The New South Wales-based brewery received top Australian honours for its Keller Door Schwarzbier.
Champion International Beer was awarded to US-based Firestone Walker Brewing Co for its Feral One mixed culture beer.
Australia’s most prestigious – and the world’s largest annual – beer awards judging both draught and packaged beer today celebrates 27 years.
Hosted by The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV), the AIBA presentation evening saw industry leaders and experts worldwide come together to celebrate the best local and international beer, with eight champion trophies awarded in addition to Champion Australian Beer and Champion International Beer.
There were almost 2,600 entries this year from more than 400 breweries across 26 countries including two design and one media category.
Queensland was well represented taking out two of the top four Australian spots; Champion Large Australian Brewery, awarded to Balter Brewing, and Champion Medium Australian Brewery, awarded to Green Beacon Brewing Co, while Victoria’s Blackman’s Brewing took out Champion Small Australian Brewery.
On the international scale, New Zealand took home three of the four Champion International Trophies with Champion Large International Brewery going to DB Breweries, Champion Medium International Brewery awarded to Deep Creek Brewing Company and McLeods Brewery taking home Champion Small International Brewery.
Two new trophies were introduced to the awards this year – Best Fruit Beer and Best Wood or Barrel-Aged Beer – which were awarded to Belgium-brewed Rodenbach Caractere Rouge and US-brewed Captain of the Coast respectively.
RASV CEO Paul Guerra said in a media release that 2019 marks the biggest awards night yet, adding that the organisation is looking forward to continued growth.
To celebrate their past success, 2018 Champion Breweries Black Hops Brewing, Green Beacon Brewing Co, Mountain Goat Beer and Philter Brewing unveiled their collaboration brew Achachacha Gose on the night. Using the traditional Bolivian fruit Achacha that was cultivated in Queensland, the Gose-style beer has a tart, citrus taste soured with Weyermann Sauermalz and complemented by the passionfruit aroma of HPA’s Galaxy hops.
For all the results including medal winners, please visit Winning Tastes.
2019 AIBA Champion Trophies
Champion Australian Beer presented by Cryer Malt
Keller Door: Schwarzbier – 4 Pines Brewing Company, New South Wales
Champion International Beer
Feral One – Firestone Walker Brewing Co., United States
Champion Large Australian Brewery presented by Barrett Burston Malting
Balter Brewing – Queensland
Champion Large International Brewery presented by Barth-Haas Group
DB Breweries Ltd, – New Zealand
Champion Medium Australian Brewery presented by Cryer Malt
Green Beacon Brewing Co. – Queensland
Champion Medium International Brewery
Deep Creek Brewing Company – New Zealand
Champion Small Australian Brewery
Blackman’s Brewery – Victoria
Champion Small International Brewery
McLeods Brewery – New Zealand
Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy For The Best New Exhibitor
Breakside Brewery – Oregon, United States
Best Australian-Style Lager Presented By O-I Glass
Steinlager Pure – Lion NZ, New Zealand
Best European-Style Lager (Excluding Pilsner)
Buckskin Munich Helles – King Car Group, Taiwan
Best International Lager
Undercurrent – Draught Deep Creek Brewing Company, New Zealand
Best Pilsner Presented by Brews News
The Prospector Pilsner – Draught Hemingway’s Brewery, Queensland, Australia
Best Amber / Dark Lager Presented By Joe White Maltings
Keller Door – Schwarzbier – Draught 4 Pines Brewing Company, New South Wales, Australia
Best Australian Style Pale Ale Presented By Kegstar
North of Nowhere Pale Ale, Packaged – DB Breweries Ltd, New Zealand
Best New World-Style Pale Ale Presented By Hop Products Australia
Pale Ale, Draught – Cheeky Monkey Brewery and Cidery, Western Australia, Australia
Best International-Style Pale Ale Presented By The Post Project
Balter Strong Pale Ale – Draught Balter Brewing, Queensland, Australia
Best British-Style Ale (Excluding IPA & Pale Ale)
Summer Ale, Draught – Mountain Goat Beer, Victoria, Australia
Best European-Style Ale
Infinite Guide Gose, Packaged – Bravo Brewing Co., Guangdong, China
Best IPA Presented By HopCo
Hawkers West Coast IPA, Packaged – Hawkers Brewery, Victoria, Australia
Best Amber / Dark Ale
Traders, Packaged – McLeods Brewery, New Zealand
Best Porter Presented By Weyermann
Black Shield Draught, Draught – Myanmar Brewery LTD, Yangon, Myanmar
Best Stout Presented By GABS
Exit Milk Stout, Packaged – Exit Brewing, Victoria, Australia
Best Reduced / Low Alcohol Beer
Mid Range, Packaged – Black Hops Brewery, Queensland, Australia
Best Wheat Beer
TAP6 Mein Aventinus, Packaged – Schneider Weisse GmbH, Bavaria, Germany
Best Belgian / French Ale
Feral One, Packaged – Firestone Walker Brewing Co., United States
Best Scotch Ale / Barley Wine
Alba, Packaged – Cervejaria Bohemia, Brazil
Best Fruit Beer
Rodenbach Caractere Rouge, Packaged – Brouwerij Rodenbach, Roeselare, Belgium
Best Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beer
Captain of the Coast, Packaged – Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon, United States
Best Specialty Beer
Maui Express, Packaged – Denver Beer Co, CO, United States
Best Design – Label / Surface Graphic
Sabro: Single Hop Hazy IPA – Hope Brewery, New South Wales, Australia
Best Design – Outer Packaging
India Pale Ale – Mismatch Brewing Co., South Australia, Australia
Best Media Presented By The Crafty Pint
New South Ales, New South Wales, Australia