Happy brewery after double award delight

The Myponga-based brewery’s Dark Ale took out the top award, also winning the Champion SA Beer and Dark Ale classes.

Announced at the Adelaide Beer & Barbecue Festival last night, the awards were dominated by SA, with all but one of the trophies won by SA-based breweries.

Chief beer judge Simon Fahey said the awards, run by the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of SA, recognise the importance of Australia’s $7 billion beer and cider industry.

This year’s awards attracted 196 entries from 42 brewers of all sizes and from four states of Australia, with all entries judged blind by an expert industry panel.

Competition newcomers Pirate Life Brewing, of Hindmarsh, made a first-class debut, winning the Champion India Pale Ale and Champion American Style Pale Ale trophies, as well as the Chief Judges Award for Best New Exhibit (Pirate Life IPA) and the Champion Large Brewery trophy.

Coopers also performed well, winning the Champion Australian Style Lager, Champion Traditional Australian Style Pale Ale and Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer trophies.

McLaren Vale’s Goodieson Brewery also won three trophies - Champion Wheat Beer, Champion Porter and Champion Small Brewery, while West End won the Champion Stout Beer award for their Southwark Old Stout.

Other winners included Woolshed Brewery’s Judas the Dark (Champion Hybrid Beer), Prancing Pony Brewery (Champion Pilsner) and Vale Brewing’s Vale Amber (Champion Other Lager).

Modus Operandi Brewing, NSW, was the only non-SA brewery to win a trophy (Champion Medium Brewery).

In the cider section, The Hills Cider Company Apple Solera Series won two trophies - Best SA Cider Exhibit and Best in Show, while the Barossa Valley Cider Company won the Best Perry (pear cider) trophy for their Squashed Pear Cider.

Members of the public can sample the award-winning beers at the Adelaide Beer & Barbecue Festival, on at the Adelaide Showground this weekend.