New Zealand’s Beer Awards for 2021 have wrapped up, and winners have been announced following a ‘Virtual Awards’ ceremony that took place on Thursday 21st October.

Following a hiatus in 2020 organisers, Brewers Guild of New Zealand, were impressed with the 839 entries received, across 122 different style classes. Guild Executive Director, Sabrina Kunz said, “To receive this number of entries is a huge showing considering the impact that covid has continued to have on our industry over the past two years.”

With covid continuing to have an impact on the entry process and judge availability due to last minute alert level changes, it was a sign of relief for the team when the judging was wrapped up in just two and a half days. Chief Judge, David Nicholls, of DNA Brewery said, “that the calibre of entries were a reflection of the quality and creativity in the New Zealand Beer Awards.”

During a ‘normal’ year, over 500 people from across the industry and the country would gather to attend the NZ Beer Awards dinner to find out the trophy and medal winners across the 14 style classes, as well as the 7 Champion Awards and 5 Industry Awards.

Winners on the evening included Alibi Brewing as Champion Exhibitor, a micro brewery on Waiheke Island, and Tekapo based Burke’s Brewing who took out New Zealand’s Best Beer with their Unforgiven Porter,

The Brewers Guild of New Zealand are excited to see some new names amongst the winning breweries and all of the winners can be found on the NZ Ale Trail www.nzaletrail.com/nzbeerawards

Champion Award Winners

Champion Micro BreweryThree Sisters Brewery, Taranaki

Champion Small BreweryAltitude Brewing Co, Queenstown

Champion Medium BreweryMcLeod’s Brewery, Waipu, Northland

Champion Large BreweryGarage Project, Te Aro, Wellington

Champion New Zealand ExhibitorAlibi Brewing, Waiheke Island

Champion New Zealand ManufacturerbStudio, Napier, Hawkes Bay

Champion New Zealand BeerBurkes Brewing – Unforgiven PorterLake Tekapo, Mackenzie Country

Trophy Winners

Boneface Brewing CompanyInternational Lager – Outlaw

Panhead Custom AlesNew Zealand Style – Port Road Pilsner

Alibi Brewing CompanyAmber/Dark Lager – Temná Zima

The Emerson Brewing Company LtdBritish Ale – Emersons Bookbinder

Garage Project BreweryEuropean Ale – Chance, Luck & Magic

McLeod’s BreweryAmber/Dark Ale – Harvest Moon Dark IPA

Garage Project BreweryInternational Pale Ale – Proper IPA

Behemoth Brewing CompanyIndian Pale Ale – Get Busy Hopping

Waitoa BeerJuicy/Hazy – Afterglow Hazy IPA

Burkes Brewing CoStout & Porter – Unforgiven Porter

Three Sisters BreweryWheat & Other Grain – Roses & Rivets

Beer Baroness Brewing CompanyFruit & Flavoured – Dare to Diva

LionSpecialty & Experimental – Speights Mid Ale

Kereru Brewing CompanyWood & Barrel Aged – Amberine

Industry Award Winners

Brewing Sustainability AwardSawmill Brewery

Beer Tourism AwardMoa Brewing Company – Moa Tap Room

Beer Media AwardAlice Neville

Morton Coutts AwardDr Ron Beatson

Packaging AwardSmall Gods & Maltkult Brewing Co – The Satan CanTrilogy