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2012 AIBA – this year’s judging in numbers

As this year’s AIBA judging draws to a close the final set of judges again gathered at the Melbourne Showgrounds to judge the remaining beers from different styles, breweries and origins in the second to last day of competition judging. The national and international panel of judges have numbered 53 over the 10 day period and on average judges have assessed 50 beers per panel, per day. By the end of judging, the total number of beers judged will total 1,345, with 20kg of cheese consumed to cleanse the palate between beers with 100 boxes of crackers. 100 litres of soup and 1,000 sandwich triangles have been eaten for lunch to keep the judges going through to the afternoon sessions and the AIBA stewards have done an amazing job too, with only 10 glasses broken!

The winners of the Championship Trophies will be announced at the 2012 Australian International Beer Awards Presentation Dinner which will be held in Melbourne on Thursday, 17 May 2012 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and marking the close of the 20th AIBA, the pre-eminent celebration of beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific Region.

Day Eight Judging at the AIBA

Day Seven Judging at the AIBA

Quality remains high and judges maintain momentum as second week of AIBA judging closes

Today is the last day of judging for the second set of entries into the 20th Australian International Beer Awards in what has been an outstanding week in terms of quality and scope of beers tasted. By the close of this year’s AIBA, the judges will have tasted more than 1,300 beers during the three week period. With this in mind, here is more detail about a small selection of this week’s beers to help show the variety of beers judges have been marking today against specific criteria including appearance, aroma, flavour and body;

• International Pilsener; tends to be straw or gold in colour. This medium-bodied beer is often brewed with rice, corn, wheat, or other grain or sugar adjuncts making up part of the mash.
• Australian Style Pale Ales; contain a low to medium hop bitterness and colour can vary from light to amber.
• German Style Schwarzbier; which tends to be very dark brown to black tone with a mild roasted malt character without the associated bitterness.
• American-style India pale ales (IPA); have an intense hop bitterness, flavour and aroma with medium to high alcohol content. The style is further characterised by fruity, floral and citrus style, American-variety hop character. Note that this character is the perceived end, but may be a result of the skilful use of hops of other national origins.
• American-Style Lagers; light in body and colour, and also clean and crisp on the palette and highly carbonated for a refreshing finish.
• Brown Porters; contrast with their Baltic-style relations with their darker brown or slightly red tint.
• Dry Stout; the malt and light-caramel flavours are contrasted with a dry-roasted bitterness in the finish which is achieved by using roasted barley.

You can taste a selection of award-winning beers at the World of Beer tasting event on Friday May 18, 2012, 4.00pm – 8.00pm at The Atrium in Federation Square. For more information and to buy tickets click here.

Brewing is a matter of taste as Australian International Beer Awards judges tackle more unusual entries

Today’s judging at the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) showed that there really is a type of beer for everyone as tastebuds turned to a real mix of styles, putting judges through their paces. The national and international expertise was put to the test as the panel tried a Gluten Free entry, an American Style Lager, characterised by its light colour and light body, as well as a British Style Golden or Blonde Ale.

Judges also tried an International Style Pale Ale, which tends to range from a deep golden colour to copper tones in appearance, as well as Stout, Wheat Beer and Speciality Beers. The Speciality Beers can contain unusual flavours such as Honey, Fruit or Herb & Spice, although judges didn't know what to expect until tasting began. Throughout all judging, the same careful criteria is adhered to.

The winners of the 20th AIBA, the pre-eminent celebration of brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific Region, will be announced at the 2012 Australian International Beer Awards Presentation Dinner which will be held in Melbourne on Thursday, 17 May 2012 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Day Four Judging at the AIBA

Judges get a taste of British Style Ales

Week two of the 2012 Australian International Beer Awards commenced today with seventeen of Australia’s leading national brewers lead by Chief Judge Peter Manders in the quest to find the best of the best in British and European Style beers. Judges today will be tasting and assessing beers from English Style Golden or Blonde Ales to German Style Kristal and Belgian Wit Beers. Each entry will be judged on strict criteria to ensure that the winner represents the best in class.

If reading about the judging process has whet your appetite, you can taste a selection of beers at the World of Beer event on Friday May 18, 2012. 4.00pm – 8.00pm at The Atrium in Federation Square.
Click here to purchase your ticket now!

Beer and Food Matching First for AIBA at Josie Bones Restaurant

Today, in partnership with beer expert Chris Badenoch, the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) previewed an exclusive beer and food matching menu designed for the forthcoming Awards Presentation Dinner, proof that the annual AIBA continues to innovate in its 20th year.

The three course tasting presented as a canapé menu, comprised of dishes including ocean trout and spanner crab for entrée, pork belly for main and baby pannacotta for dessert, was served with tasting-sized samples of 2011 winning beers at Badenoch’s Melbourne restaurant, Josie Bones.

Industry Advisory Group member, Chris Badenoch commented; “We’re passionate about using beer as an ingredient as well as an accompaniment to great food and the dishes we’ve created for the AIBA highlight the quality and diversity of entries”.

The tasting was a preview of the meal which will be served at the AIBA Presentation Dinner on Thursday, 17 May at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Each one of the record 1,352 beers entered in 2012 Awards are vying to be the best Australian and international beers, with each sample striving for the highest standards and best taste of the brewers’ craft. Entries have been received from both large and craft breweries from all over the world, representing a variety of beer styles and brewing trends.

Beer enthusiasts are invited to taste the 2012 AIBA entries at the inaugural World of Beer – Tasting Around the Globe event where beer lovers can sample local and international packaged beers entered this year for judging. The first World of Beer – Tasting Around the Globe event will be held on Friday, 18 May at The Atrium, Federation Square. Tickets are available from www.beerawards.com.

Day Three Judging at the AIBA

Day two of tasting begins for judges in search of world's best beers

No two beers are created equal, and so vigorous judging is once again underway at the 20th Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) as judges begin their second day considering criteria such as appearance, aroma, quality and style. Judges are currently sampling the 'bigger' styles – usually categorised by unusual methods or flavours. The range will include smoked beers, Porters, a honey beer, and even some chocolate speciality beers. These will be balanced with some 'crisper' styles to ensure variety and range for the judges' palettes – essential as there are 16 classes to be judged today alone. Our international entrants will be represented by an unusual Belgian Lambic beer, with more information to follow later this week.

To maintain the integrity of the judging process, judges are divided into three teams of six. Tasting is 'blind', meaning that judges are told about the style and filtration, bottle conditioning or clouding agent status of the beers, but no other information is given. The teams continue to judge independently and this unique process ensures that the winning beers showcase the best of the best.

All samples tasted represent the cream of the crop of both Australian and International beers, with each sample symbolising the highest standards of the breweries' craft. Entries have been received from both well-established and very small craft breweries from all over the world, with highlights from every trend and style.

AIBA Revels in Record Entries

Local and international judges today unite in search of the perfect combination of appearance, aroma, flavour and body, when judging of the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) kicks off at Melbourne Showgrounds with more than 1,300 beers to be sipped, sniffed and swilled over the next three weeks during the world-renowned judging process.

In its 20th year, the AIBA has experienced a 10 per cent increase in entries with 1,352 beers from 39 countries competing for glory in one of the most highly regarded awards of its industry. The entries are up from 1,195 exhibits in 2011.

Highly esteemed international judges, Anders Kissmeyer (Denmark), Masayoshi Kaji and Shoji Kobotake (Japan) will join local beer experts to individually assess Australian and overseas ales, lagers, pilsners, porters and stouts entered into the 2012 Awards.

Awarded Best Active Master Brewer in the world in 2011, Anders Kissmeyer said, "When talking to my peers, be they international beer judges or brewers, it is clear that the AIBA is up there amongst the very best".

Further highlighting the AIBA's strong reputation abroad, 692 of the 1,352 entries were from international brewers with Australians continuing to show strong support, entering 660 brews.

Regarded as the pre-eminent showcase for premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region, the AIBA received entries from a record-high 258 exhibitors, with international entries coming from all corners of the globe, including Cambodia, Fiji, Lithuania, Puerto Rico and South Korea.

Ann Houlihan, Manager, Epicure Events at the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) said, “We have again received an outstanding number of entries for the 2012 AIBA from exhibitors across the world, recording an increase in not only the number of entries but exhibitors also".

"Now in its 20th year, the increase in entries is testament to the AIBA's global reputation as one of the most highly regarded and respected awards of its industry," Ms Houlihan said.

The AIBA has grown in reach and stature since its inception, receiving entries from brewers worldwide and attracting some of the industry’s most respected judges, both locally and internationally.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the AIBA will this year host the first World of Beer event where beer lovers will be taken on a unique tour of the globe with the opportunity to taste the best local and international brews entered in the 2012 AIBA.

AIBA’s World of Beer – tastings from around the globe - will be held on Friday, 18 May from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at The Atrium, Federation Square. Tickets are available here.

Presented annually by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria in conjunction with the University of Ballarat, the AIBA will culminate in an Awards Presentation Dinner at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, 17 May 2012.

20 Years Celebrated With AIBA’s Collaborator

Australian International Beer Awards’ (AIBA) luminaries, Feral Brewing and 2 Brothers Brewery, will forego state allegiances to produce a limited–edition commemorative beer to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Awards.

Feral Brewing of Western Australia and 2 Brothers Brewery of Victoria today commenced brewing 200 cases of the Australian Brown Ale style commemorative beer, named Collaborator, at 2 Brothers Brewery in Moorabbin.

Awarded AIBA’s Champion Ale Trophy for three consecutive years and Champion Exhibitor and Small Brewery in 2009, Feral Brewing’s Head Brewer Brendan Varis said Feral Brewing was thrilled to be invited by the AIBA to produce the commemorative beer.

“It was a great honour to be asked to produce a commemorative beer for the AIBA’s 20th anniversary and we are looking forward to working with 2 Brothers on it,” Mr Varis said.

“We have decided to produce something that encompasses as much of the Australian brewing industry as possible by using 100 per cent Australian ingredients”.

Recipient of the AIBA Premier’s Trophy for the Best Victorian Beer and Champion Scotch Ale and Barley Wines, Andrew Ong of 2 Brothers Brewery said, “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be asked to work with Feral Brewing for the AIBA’s commemorative beer”.

“Based on the quality of judging and their local presence, the AIBA is our focus and we enter it primarily for the judges’ feedback, which has been very useful in helping us to continually improve our products,” Mr Ong said.

Sponsors of the AIBA’s commemorative beer are Feral Brewing, 2 Brothers Brewery, Plasdene (bottle and crown closures), Pack Creations (labels, design and print), Hopco (hops), Cryer Malt and Barrett Burston (malt).

The first taste of the limited–edition beer will be at the AIBA Presentation Dinner, a night that sees the beer industry come together to celebrate the Awards” winners.

Presented annually by the RASV in conjunction with the University of Ballarat, the AIBA judging will be conducted at Melbourne Showgrounds from Monday, 2 April. The event will culminate in an Awards Presentation Dinner at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, 17 May 2012.

As part of the Good Beer Week program, the AIBA will invite beer enthusiasts will be taken on a unique tour of the globe at the AIBA’s World of Beer event, held on Friday, 18 May from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at The Atrium, Federation Square. Tickets will be available at www.beerawards.com.au in the coming weeks.

For media inquiries please contact Wrights for the AIBA on 03 9690 9911:

Jess Jafer, Account Coordinator, +61 403 042 855 / jjafer@wrights.com.au
Gareth Beck, Senior Account Manager, +61 412 913 150 / gbeck@wrights.com.au

Californian Flavour at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards

Californian brewery, Moylan’s Brewing Co, was awarded the prestigious Champion Exhibitor Trophy and the Trophy for Champion Small Brewery, at the 19th annual Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) at an awards presentation dinner at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia on Friday evening, 20 May 2011.

Conducted annually by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) in conjunction with the University of Ballarat, the pre-eminent showcase for premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region awarded 15 of the 17 Champion Trophies on offer, with seven presented to international breweries and eight to Australians.

The beer loving United States proved its brewing excellence, taking out five of the trophies with New Zealand and Belgian breweries achieving one each. On home soil, West Australian breweries stole the show achieving four trophies, and two trophies were awarded to Victoria and New South Wales.

It was a big year for consecutive wins with Feral Brewing company of Western Australia again achieving the Champion Ale Trophy and Victoria’s 2 Brothers Brewery holding onto The Premier’s Trophy for the Best Victorian Beer. 2 Brothers Brewery were also awarded the trophy for Champion Scotch Ale & Barley Wines.

The newly introduced Champion Low Alcohol Beer Trophy and the Gluten Free Beer Trophy - which was introduced in 2010 - were not awarded this year, 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.

The winners were as follows:

• Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy for Best New Exhibitor – Hopworks Urban Brewery, Oregon, USA
• 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
• Champion Gluten Free Beer – No trophy awarded
• TAC Trophy for Champion Low Alcohol Beer – No trophy awarded

Voodoo brews success for 2 Brothers?

David and Andrew Ong of 2 Brothers Brewery have come a long way since winning the Premier’s Trophy for the Best Victorian Beer at the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards.

Andrew Ong said 2 Brothers Brewery was very excited about last year’s unexpected win with their Voodoo brew.

“We were ecstatic. Winning the Premier’s Trophy for the Best Victorian Beer has been tremendous for us in terms of increasing sales, both on premise and wholesale, and has facilitated awareness of the brand in general.”

Last year’s success also provided 2 Brothers Brewery with an answer to publicity concerns.

“Since we are a small business, advertising simply isn’t an option. So gaining media coverage from winning at the Australian International Beer Awards has been vital to raising our trade and local profile,” Mr Ong said.

The brothers have entered seven beers for this year’s competition for both the packaged and draught categories. Last year’s winning Voodoo brew is on the entrants list again this year along with James Brown – a 1000 strong, Taxi – Munich style larger, Chief – a Märzen, Growler – an American brown ale, Grizz – an American amber and Guvnor – an English style barley wine.

“We would love to win again but I think it may be a bit ambitious. There are so many great products on the market of high quality. To win once was amazing enough,” Mr Ong said.

The brothers have been entering their brews in the AIBA ever since they commenced production at the end of 2007.

“Entering provides us with external feedback where we gain well-informed feedback that can help to make improvements to our product relevant to our market,” Mr Ong said.

Great Beer Debate

The team at Good Beer Week has announced that AIBA Committee Chairman, Peter Manders, will join the panel in one of the week’s many activities - the Great Beer Debate - taking place on Saturday, 21 May at Ormond Hall.

Mr Manders, a former Master Brewer at the powerful Fosters Group, has held the position of Chairman and Chief Judge at the AIBA since 2005, bringing expert knowledge and more than 50 years of industry experience to the role.

Mr Manders will join five other Australian and international brewers on the debate panel at Ormond Hall from 7pm. The Great Beer Debate is a ticketed event, please visit Good Beer Week for more information.

Look forward to seeing you at the AIBA Presentation Awards Dinner followed by the Great Beer Debate the following evening!

Follow us on Twitter @AIBA2012 for the latest updates and live tweets of the 2011 AIBA Champion Trophy winners at the AIBA Dinner

Good Beer Week and the AIBA

The times they are a-changin'. And unlike Dylan in '64 we're not talking social and political upheaval. No, we've got something far more important in mind: beer. For decades, the drink that was so synonymous with Australia it was even parodied in The Simpsons was pretty much just that: beer. You might find different brands, you might find heavy and light versions, you might even find the odd stout, but generally you'd just find beer or, more precisely, lager.

Good Beer Week Crew - Collaborating brew between Mountain Goat, Moon Dog and Foster's

Yet today there are more than 100 Australian breweries, bars with 40-plus taps and bottleshops with 1,000 different beers ranging from chocolate and vanilla stouts that are like dessert in a glass to blended sours that use wild yeasts from their local environment. And then there's the imports…

Just as Australians embraced wine in all its many forms from the 1980s onwards, so they are embracing beer today. And, as this appreciation and enjoyment of the wide world of beer spreads, it deserves celebrating – something the Australian International Beer Awards has been doing for good beer for nearly 20 years. The “pre-eminent showcase of premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region” is the drawcard that brings the brewing industry from across Australia and further afield together in Melbourne for a few days every year. And this year a small but dedicated band of beer lovers decided to make the most of everyone being in town. We created Good Beer Week.

In the space of a few weeks, it grew from a conversation over beers at Beer DeLuxe to a lineup of more than 40 events across more than 30 venues in Melbourne and Victoria. There are beer and food pairings, AIBA gold medal and international beer showcases, chances for punters to meet the brewers as well as a sold out beer breakfast, Australia's first ever Great Beer Debate (featuring AIBA Chairman Peter Manders on the panel), comedy and the launch of a number of new beers, including a collaborative effort made especially for Good Beer Week by Mountain Goat, Foster's and Moon Dog – three very different breweries who have come together to help promote the cause of good beer in Australia.

The Good Beer Week committee (if you can call our small and rather ragtag collective such a thing) hasn't asked for a cent from any of the participants – just that they host events and run them well and responsibly. Other than financial support from Bintani, Little Creatures and VAMI to pay for flyers, posters and maps, the entire event been fueled by nothing more than a passion to see Australians exposed to the full range of amazing beer on offer today.

Of course, none of this would have happened without the Awards Dinner, the big night out that was already bringing much of the beer industry to Melbourne. Looking ahead, we hope this inaugural Good Beer Week will act as a calling card, a statement of intent for the future, in which it will grow into a major annual event on the Australian and international beer calendar, one that offers as much to the people who drink beer as those who brew it. Just like the AIBA, our intention is to promote the beer industry and better beer, so this fledgling relationship is one that should blossom.

Beer for Breakfast on a Friday Morning

The 2011 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) kicked into high gear on Friday, 8 April with its annual media judging day at the Melbourne Showgrounds to signify the beginning of the judging process for more than 1,100 brews that are entered into this year’s competition.

Key industry media including Beer and Brewer magazine, Australian Brews News, SEN ‘Beer O’Clock’, Broadsheet, 3RRR and The Beer Store all enjoyed an intimate tasting session with the attending international judges.

Hosted in the Member’s Bar at the Melbourne Showgrounds, AIBA Committee Chairman, Peter Manders joined four AIBA international judges - Simon Jackson (UK), Sam Shrimpton (NZ), Isara Khaola-iead (Thailand) and Germany’s Dr Fritz Briem - in guiding beer and brewing media through some of the beers entered into the AIBA.

The group worked through different styles of beer and received expert commentary on the unique AIBA judging process. The beer flight, beginning with a light flavoured Australian style lager and working towards an IPA, wit bier and then a stout, saw seven brews tasted for flavour profile, rather than alcoholic strength, which is a common misconception of flight order.

As the pre-eminent showcase of beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region, local and international industry interest in the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) increases annually, and media involvement is no exception.

Already, some of the international judges have become published artists, with New Zealand’s Sam Shrimpton’s photo appearing in the latest edition of the Moonee Valley Weekly.

A big thank you to all attending media for their involvement we look forward to an ongoing relationship.

Keeping the AIBA brews in line

Involved in the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) for many years as an exhibitor, I have witnessed the growth in credibility of the Awards within the Australian and international beer industry and am truly honoured to be selected as the Chief Steward for 2011.

The rapid expansion of the Awards is accredited to the steady increase of entries and the origin of beers expanding to more than 30 countries around the world.

This year, amongst the 1,100 brews, we saw a significant amount of growth from breweries in South East Asia, Scandinavia, the United States, China, and Norway.

The growth creates an exciting prospect for judges (31 local and 13 international judges this year) who are given the challenging yet rewarding task of tasting and evaluating the most premium beers from different locations throughout the world.

During the judging stage, my role includes coordinating the logistics of judging and seeing that the beer is served to judges in an orderly and timely fashion, assuring the phasing of beer styles is correct, allowing the judges palates to fully embrace each brew assessed.

With a background in applied science, I am fascinated by the inner workings of different beer styles resulting in what some may term a ‘thirst for knowledge!’

Prior to joining the AIBA this year, I spent some 20 years at Carlton United Breweries (CUB) working across flavour research, beer analysis, product development and the technical services arm.

My new role at the AIBA has seen me shift from the role of exhibitor to Awards official, having spent many years assisting CUB in refining its entries for the competition.

Together with the AIBA Committee, Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria and the University of Ballarat, I look forward to a long standing relationship and a truly hands on role with the annual Australian International Beer Awards, the pre-eminent showcase of beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region.

Introducing the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards

The Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) has again drawn some of the world’s best beers with more than 1,100 entries received for judging in the competition that is recognised as the pre-eminent showcase of beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region.

A contingent of 43 beer and brewing experts - 30 Australians and 13 internationals - will join me in assessing the brews for the 17 Champion Trophies and coveted gold, silver and bronze medals on offer.

Since its inception in 1993, the AIBA has received a steady increase of entries, with brews now received from more than 30 countries. Not one to rest on its laurels, the AIBA Committee has introduced a new Trophy in 2011 - Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer - reflecting the change in consumer taste and industry trend towards lower alcohol beers.

The Awards grow in appeal each year within the industry and a true testament to this is the 13 international judges who have come from all corners of the world to experience the 2011 event.

Together, we’ll assess the brews based on a maximum score of 20: three for appearance (colour, clarity and foam), five for aroma, six for flavour, three for technical merit and three for style characters. A total score of 17 or above equates to a prized gold medal, 15.5-17 is silver and 14-15.5 is bronze. A panel of six judges assesses each brew and in the case of a score tie, there is a ‘taste-off’ at the completion of the judging period.

I look forward to giving you further updates on the AIBA and the progress of judging, as the competition unfolds.

Cheers to another great year!