The International Brewing Awards, previously known as the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA), is a biannual brewing competition with its origins dating to 1886. It is believed to be the oldest international brewing competition in the world.
The Awards are owned and organised by Brewing Technology Services Ltd (BTS).[1] Only beers that pay to enter (£192 per entry as of November 2015) are judged.[2]
The Awards are known by some as the "Brewing Oscars" and are judged only by commercially practising brewers.[3][4]
The 2013 competition took place 13–15 February in Burton upon Trent. New for the 2013 competition was a cider category, comprising two classifications - for apple cider and cider incorporating other fruit, juices or flavours. Also new is a Special Hop Beer class within the Speciality Beer category, designed for beers with a “uniquely innovative or intense hop character”. The Awards were presented on 24 April 2013 at Guildhall, City of London.
In 2015 bronze, silver and gold medal winners were announced after three days of judging at the National Brewery Centre in Burton-upon-Trent, where a panel of 43 judges assessed close to 1,000 beers and ciders submitted from 50 countries. There were 39 categories, each with up to three medals, and ten additional trophies for winners of wider categories.[5]