Moylan’s Brewing Company of Novato, California USA, is Champion Exhibitor of the 19th Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).

Moylan’s cemented the AIBA’s prestigious accolade for the highest scoring exhibitor after it was also announced as the Champion Small Brewery. It was a similar scenario to last year’s AIBA’s at which Nøgne Ø – Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri of Norway took home both categories.

Conducted annually by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) in conjunction with the University of Ballarat, the Australian International Beer Awards brought the Australian and international brewing communities together tonight with a gala awards presentation dinner at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia.

The United States proved all conquering with a diverse array of beers, winning 5 Champion Trophies, including both Champion Small and Champion Larger breweries.

AIBA Committee Chairman and Chief Judge, Peter Manders, reflected that the success of international entries at the awards is incentive for Australia’s local brewing industry to lift their standards to meet the high benchmarking standards of international beer judged.

Though Australian brewers still collected an impressive seven brewing trophies, plus a packaging award.

In an interesting sidelight about the purpose and nature of the awards, few of the competition’s international winners have beers available in Australia. However, Mr Manders told Australian Brews News that the AIBA are a truly international competition setting a high standard and are not a measure beers in Australia.

“The AIBA’s global reputation has been reinforced by the addition of some of the world’s most highly esteemed industry personnel, and this year 13 international judges joined the panel of 44.”

“The 1195 entries received from 34 countries around the world this year were all of an exceptionally high standard. With an increase in entries from the US and South-East Asian and Scandinavian regions, the AIBA grows in reach each year,” Mr Manders said. From the total pool of entries, 550 were international submissions, up from 495 in 2010.

In the local battle to claim Australia’s crown as the home of craft beer, Western Australia once again took the honours with 5 different WA based breweries claiming Champion Trophies over the 2 won by Victorian brewery, 2 Brothers. Despite perceptions that the gravity of Australia’s craft brewing scene is shifting towards Melbourne, the standard of beers produced by the Western Australian breweries continues to be world class. This was further highlighted in the catalogue of medal winners, which saw Western Australian breweries receiving 8 of the 29 Gold Medals awarded by the AIBA judges.

The other successful Australian brewery was the brand new Thirsty Crow microbrewery located in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. The 500L capacity brewery was only opened to the public earlier this year and produces six beers year round and several seasonal brews.

The 2011 Champions of the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) are:

• Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Trophy for Champion Exhibitor for the Highest Scoring Exhibitor – Moylan‟s Brewing Co., California, USA
• Labelmakers Trophy for Champion Large Brewery – The Brooklyn Brewery, New York, USA
• Cleanevent Trophy for Champion Small Brewery – Moylan’s Brewing Co, California, USA
• The Premier’s Trophy for the Best Victorian Beer – Guvnor, 2 Brothers Brewery, Victoria, Australia
• Hop Products Australia Trophy for Champion Lager – Cowaramup Pilsner, Cowaramup Brewing Company, Western Australia, Australia
• Cryer Malt Trophy for Champion Ale – Hop Hog, Feral Brewing Company, Western Australia, Australia
• Beer & Brewer Magazine Trophy for Champion Porter – Walkers Reserve, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, California, USA
• Cleanevent Trophy for Champion Stout – Craftsman Oatmeal, Renaissance Brewing, Marlborough, New Zealand
• TAC Trophy for Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer – The Monk Mild, The Monk Brewery & Kitchen, Western Australia, Australia
• University of Ballarat Trophy for Champion Wheat Beer – Sou West Wheat, Bootleg Brewery, Western Australia, Australia
• Weyermann Specialty Malting Company Trophy for Champion Belgian & French Ales – Oude Kriek Oud Beersel, Oud Beersel, Brussels, Belgium
• University of Ballarat Trophy for Champion Scotch Ale & Barley Wines – Guvnor, 2 Brothers Brewery, Victoria, Australia
• National Liquor News Trophy for Champion Hybrid Beer – Vanilla Milk Stout, Thirsty Crow, New South Wales, Australia
• Spiegelau Trophy for Champion Packaging Award – Gage Pils 3.5, Gage Roads Brewing Co Ltd, WA Australia
• Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy for Best New Exhibitor – Hopworks Urban Brewery, Oregon, USA

No Champion trophy was awarded for both the Gluten Free Beer or Champion Low Alcohol Beer categories. The AIBA media release notes “whilst the quality of the beers submitted were high the judging panel were not able to award a champion trophy for these two classes this year to remain true to the competitions high benchmarking standards.”

2011 Gold Medal Winners

• Lager Packaged – Pilsner: “Hoppbier”, Boatrocker Brewing Company
• Lager Draught – Pilsner: “Conwaramup Pilsner”, Cowaramup Brewing Company
• Ale Packaged – British Style Pale Ale: “Moa 5 Hop Ale”, Moa Brewing Company
• Ale Packaged – American Style Pale Ale: “Hix Pale”, Hickinbotham of Dromana; “G’Knight Imperial Red”, Oskar Blues Brewing; “Hop Hog”, Feral Brewing Company
• Ale Packaged – Dark Ale: “Moylander Double India Pale Ale”, Moylan’s Brewing Co
• Ale Packaged – Other: “Big Swell IPA”, Maui Brewing Co; “Detour”, Uinta Brewing Co; “Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale”, Moylan’s Brewing Co; “Imperial Brown Ale”, Nøgne Ø — Det Kompromissløse Bryggeri
• Ale Draught – Australian Style Ale: “Nail Ale”, Nail Brewing Company
• Ale Draught – Australian Style Pale Ale: “Hop Hog”, Feral Brewing Company
• Ale Draught – Other: “Venom”, Wig & Pen Brewery & Tavern; “Cock & Bull Monk’s Habit”, Steam Brewing Company; “Fantapants”, Feral Brewing Company
• Porter Packaged – “Walkers Reserve”, Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• Stout Packaged – Other: “Craftsman Oatmeal Chocolate Stout”, Renaissance Brewing
• Reduced Alcohol Draught – Lager: “The Monk Mild”, The Monk Brewery & Kitchen
• Wheat Beer Draught – Wheat Beer: “Sou West Wheat”, Bootlet Brewery
• Wheat Beer Draught – German Style Hefewizen: “Weihenstephan Hefeweiss”, Weihenstephan Brewery; “Last Drop Hefeweizen”, Last Drop Brewery
• Belgian and French Style Ales Packaged – Lambic: “Oude Kriek oud Beersel”, Oud Beersel
• Belgian and French Style Ales Draught – Abbey Style, Dubble & Triple: “Mad Abbot Tripel”, The Little Brewing Company
• Belgian and French Style Ales Draught – Other: “The Bald Headed Stagger”, Wig & Pen Brewery & Tavern
• Scotch Ales and Barleywines Packaged – Scotch Ale: “Heavy Horse Scotch Ale”, Big Sky Brewing Co
• Scotch Ales and Barleywines Packaged – Barley / Wheat Wine: “Mirror Mirror Barley Wine”, Deschutes Brewery
• Scotch Ales and Barleywines Draught – Barley / Wheat Wine: “Guvnor”, 2 Brothers Brewery
• Hybrid Beer Packaged – Other: “Youngs Double Chocolate Stout”, Wells & Youngs Brewing Company; “Chocolate Stout”. Rogue Ales
• Hybrid Beer Draught – Herb & Spice: “Vanilla Milk Stout”, Thirsty Crow
• Packaging: “Gage Pils 3.5”, Gage Roads Brewing Co Ltd

For the full listing of results, visit www.beerawards.com