Annual brewing competition
Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) is an annual brewing competition that commenced in 1992.
The AIBA is undertaken by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV). Judging of the awards is conducted at Melbourne Showgrounds, with the Awards presentation dinner held during Good Beer Week in Melbourne, Australia.
The awards were originally the ‘National Beer and Brewing Awards’ and operated in a partnership between RASV and the University of Ballarat. In 1995 the awards became an international competition, with a field of 201 competitors and entries from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Indonesia, Malta and Tonga. It was at these awards that the first international winner was announced, Cisk Export Premium Lager by Simonds Farsons Cisk of Malta winning the Grand Champion Beer award.[1]
The AIBA are now the second largest competition of their kind in the world, with 1,480 entries by 270 brewers from 35 countries in 2013.[2][3]
Competitors must pay to enter in order to be judged. Only the trophies awarded in over 75 classes are strictly competitive; the unlimited number of gold, silver and bronze awards are based on meeting points thresholds in blind tastings.[4]
Trophy winners
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
- Championship Large International Brewery- Weihenstephan Brewery (Germany)
- Championship Medium International Brewery- Nogne O Brewery (Norway)
- Championship Small International Brewery- Renaissance Brewery (New Zealand)
- Champion Australian Beer – Alpha Pale Ale by Matilda Bay Brewing Company (Victoria)
- Champion International Beer – Oude Geuze by Oud Beersel (Belgium)
- Champion Large Australian Brewery – Carlton and United Breweries (Victoria)
- Champion Medium Australian Brewery – Feral Brewing Company (Western Australia)
- Champion Small Australian Brewery – 2 Brothers Brewery (Victoria)
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
- Champion Large International Brewery – Firestone Walker Brewing Company (USA)
- Champion Medium International Brewery – Mahrs Bräu (Germany)
- Champion Small International Brewery – Kererū Brewing Company (New Zealand)
- Champion Australian Beer – Beerland Wheat Beer – Beerland Brewing (WA)
- Champion International Beer – Knotty – Three Weavers Brewing (USA)
- Champion Large Australian Brewery – Mountain Goat Beer (Victoria)
- Champion Medium Australian Brewery – Green Beacon Brewing Co. (Queensland)
- Champion Small Australian Brewery – Black Hops Brewing (Queensland)
- Champion Gypsy Brewer – Philter Brewing (NSW)
- Consistency of Excellence Trophy – Fixation Brewing Company (Victoria)
2019
- Champion Australian Beer – Keller Door – Schwarzbier – 4 Pines Brewing Company (NSW)[5]
- Champion Large Australian Brewery – Balter Brewing Company (QLD)[5]
- Champion Medium Australian Brewery – Green Beacon Brewing Co. (QLD)[5]
- Champion Small Australian Brewery – Blackman’s Brewery (VIC)[5]
- Champion International Beer – Feral One – Firestone Walker Brewing Company (USA)[5]
- Champion Large International Brewery – DB Breweries (NZ)[5]
- Champion Medium International Brewery – Deep Creek Brewing Company (NZ)[5]
- Champion Small International Brewery – McLeod’s Brewery (NZ)[5]
- Best New Exhibitor – Breakside Brewery (USA)[5]
- Best Australian-Style Lager – Steinlager Pure – Lion (NZ)[5]
- Best European-style Lager (excluding Pilsner) – Buckskin Munich Helles – King Car Group (Taiwan)[5]
- Best International Lager – Undercurrent – Deep Creek (NZ)[5]
- Best Pilsner – The Prospector Pilsner – Hemingway’s Brewery (QLD)[5]
- Best Amber / Dark Lager – Keller Door: Schwarzbier – 4 Pines Brewing Company (NSW)[5]
- Best Australian Style Pale Ale – Nowhere Pale Ale – DB Breweries (NZ)[5]
- Best New World-Style Pale Ale – Pale Ale – Cheeky Monkey (WA)[5]
- Best International-Style Pale Ale – Balter Strong Pale Ale – Balter Brewing Company (QLD)[5]
- Best British-Style Ale (Excluding IPA & Pale Ale) – Summer Ale – Mountain Goat Beer (VIC)[5]
- Best European-Style Ale – Infinite Guide Gose – Bravo Brewing Co. (China)[5]
- Best IPA – Hawkers West Coast IPA – Hawkers Brewery (VIC)[5]
- Australia Best Amber / Dark Ale – Traders – McLeods Brewery (NZ)[5]
- Best Porter – Black Shield Draught – Myanmar Brewery LTD (Myanmar)[5]
- Best Stout – Exit Milk Stout – Exit Brewing (VIC)[5]
- Best Reduced / Low Alcohol Beer – Mid Range – Black Hops Brewing (QLD)[5]
- Best Wheat Beer – TAP6 Mein Aventinus – Schneider Weisse (Germany)[5]
- Best Belgian / French Ale – Feral One – Firestone Walker Brewing Company (USA)[5]
- Best Scotch Ale / Barley Wine – Alba – Cervejaria Bohemia (Brazil)[5]
- Best Fruit Beer – Rodenbach Caractere Rouge – Brouwerij Rodenbach (Belgium)[5]
- Best Wood or Barrel Aged Beer – Captain of the Coast – Pelican Brewing Company (USA)[5]
- Best Specialty Beer – Maui Express – Denver Beer Co. (USA)[5]
2020
Normal judging for 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New award categories were created and people from within the beer world invited to vote[6]
2021
- Champion Australian Beer – Gold Teeth 2021 – Dollar Bill Brewing (VIC)[8][9]
- Champion International Beer – Sauvage – Deep Creek Brewing Company (New Zealand)[8][9]
- Champion Large Australian Brewery – 4 Pines Brewing Company (NSW)[8][9]
- Champion Medium Australian Brewery – Hop Nation (VIC)[8][9]
- Champion Small Australian Brewery – Cheeky Monkey Brewery (WA)[8][9]
- Champion Victorian Brewery – Hop Nation (VIC)[8][9]
- Australian Gypsy Brewer Award – Valhalla Brewing (VIC)[8][9]
- Champion Large International Brewery – Deep Creek Brewing Company (New Zealand)[8][9]
- Champion Medium International Brewery – Nbeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)[8][9]
- Champion Small International Brewery – Goose Island Brewhouse Seoul (South Korea)[8][9]
- Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy For The Best New Exhibitor – Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company (USA)[8][9]
- Best Australian Style Lager – Lager – Two Birds Brewing (VIC)[8][9]
- Best European Style Lager (excluding Pilsner) – Lager – Mismatch Brewing (SA)[8][9]
- Best International Lager – Coastie Lager – Six String Brewing Company (NSW)[8][9]
- Best Pilsner – Rattenhund – Hop Nation (VIC)[8][9]
- Best Amber / Dark Lager – Keller Door-Schwarzbier – 4 Pines Brewing Company (NSW)[8][9]
- Best Australian Style Pale Ale – Burleigh Twisted Palm – Burleigh Brewing Company (QLD)[8][9]
- Best New World-Style Pale Ale – Cryotherapy Hazy IPA – Sunday Road Brewing (NSW)[8][9]
- Best International-Style Pale Ale – King Road IPA – King Road Brewing Co (WA)[8][9]
- Best British or European-Style Ale (excluding IPA & Pale Ale) – Foghorn Hunter Kolsch – Foghorn Brewery (NSW)[8][9]
- Best Traditional IPA – Sprocket – Bentspoke Brewing Co (ACT)[8][9]
- Best Modern IPA – Lefties – Cheeky Monkey Brewery (WA)[8][9]
- Best Amber / Dark Ale – The Buzz – Hop Nation (VIC)[8][9]
- Best Porter (including Baltic Style Porter) – Valhalla Brewing Obsidian – Valhalla Brewing (VIC)[8][9]
- Best Reduced / Low Alcohol Beer – James Boag’s Premium Light – J Boag & Son Brewing (TAS)[8][9]
- Best Non-Alcohol Beer – Tinnies Ultra Low Alcohol – Coles Supermarkets (VIC)[8][9]
- Best Wheat Beer – Lowen White Beer – China Resources Snow Breweries Co. (China)[8][9]
- Best Belgian / French Style Ale – Le Petit Biere – Stone & Wood Brewing Co. (NSW)[8][9]
- Best Fruit Beer – Gold Teeth 2021 – Dollar Bill Brewing (VIC)[8][9]
- Best Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beer – Sauvage – Deep Creek Brewing Company (NZ)[8][9]
- Best Specialty Beer – Heavy Smoker – Zhang Men Brewing Company (Taiwan)[8][9]
- Best Specialty Flavoured Beer – Dangge Vanilla Coffee Imperial Stout – Dangge Brewing (China)[8][9]
- Consistency of Excellence Medal – Awarded to products that have been awarded a gold medal for three consecutive years:[8][9]
- Captain of the Coast – Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon (USA)
- Obsession Session IPA – Fixation Brewing Company, (VIC)
