Australian International Beer Award winners announced

4 Pines Brewing Company (New South Wales) and Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (USA) have taken out the top awards at the Australian International Beer Awards, presented in Melbourne.

The Keller Door Schwarzbier Draught from 4 Pines Brewing Company was named Champion Australian Beer, while Firestone Walker Brewing Co. was awarded best International Beer for their Feral One Brew.

Hosted by The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV), the event also another saw eight champion trophies awarded.

Two of the top Australian spots when to Queensland breweries: Champion Large Australian Brewery was awarded to Balter Brewing, and Champion Medium Australian Brewery was awarded to Green Beacon Brewing Co, while Victoria’s Blackman’s Brewing took out Champion Small Australian Brewery.

New Zealand took home three of the 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 in 2019. Best Fruit Beer was awarded to Rodenbach Caractere Rouge (Belgium) and Best Wood or Barrel-Aged Beer was awarded to Captain of the Coast (USA).

“The AIBA is the largest annual beer competition in the world, offering exhibitors the opportunity to benchmark their beer against industry standards to stand among some of the most talented brewers in the world,” says Paul Guerra, CEO, RASV. “With almost 2,600 entries from more than 400 breweries across 26 countries, 2019 marks the biggest year in the awards’ history and we look forward to seeing this growth continue.”

A full list of the 2019 AIBA Champion Trophy and Medal winners

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, Roesalare, 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