Entries for the 2015 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) open today. The awards are the largest annual beer competition judging both draught and packaged beer in the world and have evolved again for this year's competition. A new award for brewers – the Gypsy Brewer Trophy – has been added, the dates for judging have been moved to align with Good Beer Week and the AIBA Media Award that The Crafty Pint is sponsoring once more has changed a little too.
There's also a new, "modern, contemporary logo and style". This has been chosen to be "reflective of the burgeoning and developing industry" with the "use of gold colour emblematic of the prestige of the awards."
The Gypsy Brewer Trophy has been added in response to feedback recognising Australian brewers who do not own a brewery. According to the AIBA team: "It offers those brewers who are ineligible to enter the small, medium or large brewery trophy categories because they're not breweries the opportunity to vie for a major trophy that recognises their labels, not limiting them to product awards only."
Head judge and Little Creatures head brewer Warren Pawsey says: "The Gypsy Brewer Trophy presents a huge opportunity to talented Aussie brewers who have previously gone unrecognised in the industry. It opens the programme to a new range of unique flavours and brew styles. There is a lot of quality beer coming from gypsy brewers and I can't wait to see what is put forward."
Judging will now take place the week before Good Beer Week in May with a greater panel of judges enabling the organisers at the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) to condense the process too. The aim is to allow for international and interstate judges to attend the Gala Dinner on May 21, when winners are announced, and join other industry participants in Melbourne for the biggest week of beer celebration in Australia.
Beers will be judged across 18 categories with a total of 30 Champion and Major trophies presented. Full details of the styles, requirements and how to enter can be found on the Australian International Beer Awards website.
Entries are also open for the second AIBA Media Award. The panel we have put together this year features last year's inaugural winner, Matt Kirkegaard, editor of Brews News, Australian Brewery head brewer and beer writer Neal Cameron, former Time Out Melbourne and now Fairfax Media food and drink writer Gemima Cody and James Halliday Wine Companion editor Amelia Ball.
Changes to this year's awards include an entry fee of $80 and a requirement for podcast submissions to be no longer than 20 minutes per "show" and to come with a transcript highlighting key issues / arguments where appropriate. Again, details on how to enter can be found at the above link. We'll have news on a prize in addition to the trophy for the winner soon.
The winners of all awards will be announced at the gala dinner on May 21, followed by an Exhibitor Tasting at Feddish on May 22.
Last year's Champion Australian Beer winner, Charlie Hodgson from WA's Mash Brewing (above centre collecting his award), says: "It has done huge things for Mash. This past summer was very busy with most tanks (not just trophy winners) selling out on the day they were kegged or packed.
"A lot of people are looking much closer at what we do and some of our other brands are having a really nice flow on effect in terms of sales."
AIBA entries close on March 6.
