It was very much a case of hometown heroes at this year’s Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards with South Australian brewers claiming every trophy.
Taking home the Most Outstanding Beer In Show was The Suburban Brew's Sunday Session Ale, which earlier in the evening picked up the Champion Reduced Alcohol trophy. The beer is the lightest in Suburban’s range at just 3.5 percent ABV, but punched above its weight at the awards, which were held on the opening night of the Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival.
The reduced alcohol category has steadily grown in popularity over the 14 years of the competition, with chief judge Jeff Wright telling The Crafty Pint: “As this category grows and gains profile, we are seeing a lot of craft breweries concentrating on their low- to mid-strength range, and the quality of entries in this category just get better and better.”
The win is the first trophy at the Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider awards for Suburban, whose founder and managing director Tony Dichiera (pictured above left) said: “I’m just stoked. We have been toiling away for some time so great to get a trophy. I have to give credit to [head brewer] Peter, he has come in and done subtle tweaks of the recipes that have really lifted them. So very happy for him as well.”
Champion Lager went to Adelaide Hill-based Mismatch Brewing for their OG core range helles style Lager. The beer is no stranger to awards success, notably claiming the Champion Australian Beer title at the 2018 Indies. Fellow Hills brewers Prancing Pony also kicked off their weekend in style with Champion Porter or Stout for their Double Black Cascadian Ale.
Fox Hat made it two in a row after again winning the trophy for Champion Alternate Grain Beer/ Specialty. Last year it was with their Bearded Mongrel bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout that took the glory; this time around, the award went to their Rusty Mongrel rum barrel-aged imperial stout.
The Champion IPA gong is heading south to Aldinga, claimed by Kick Back Brewing’s core range IPA, Anchor Steady, two years after they won Champion Reduced Alcohol beer with Mid Coast. Another mid-strength helped shine a spotlight onto one of the newest names in Aussie brewing. Best New Exhibit went to Eclectic Brewing, which launched in 2023, for Campbelltowner.
After winning no less than four trophies in 2023, Barossa Valley were at it again in 2024, taking out Champion Small Brewery for the second year in a row. Barossa started their fine run at these awards all the way back in 2014 with Most Outstanding Beer in Show for Canis Majoris IIPA.
The Champion Large Brewery trophy went to Pirate Life, one of two pieces of silverware on the night for the brewing company after they picked up Champion Ale for their California Pale Ale. Jeff said this category was particularly tight, with only a few points separating a few breweries.
He said entries were down on last year, which had been expected in the current economic climate, but also said the standard was outstanding and continued to improve year on year.
The 2024 Winners
The Lallemand Trophy for Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer
- The Suburban Brew Sunday Session Ale
The Sip N Save Trophy for Champion Lager
- Mismatch Brewing Lager
The BOC Trophy for Champion Ale
- Pirate Life Brewing California Pale Ale
Champion Porter or Stout
- Prancing Pony Double Black Cascadian Ale
The Ecolab Trophy for Champion Alternative Grain Beer/ Speciality
- Vale Brewing Fox Hat Rusty Mongrel
The Orora Group Trophy for Most Outstanding Beer in Show
- The Suburban Brew Sunday Session Ale
The Bintani Australia Champion Small Brewery
- Barossa Valley Brewing (pictured above)
The Fassina Liquor Champion Large Brewery
- Pirate Life Brewing
The Simon Fahey Trophy for Best New Exhibit
- Eclectic Brewing Campbelltowner
The Hop Products Australia Champion IPA
- Kick Back Brewing Anchor Steady
If you're off to Adelaide any time soon, you might like to check out our Crafty Crawl guide to the breweries found around the CBD.
Matt King is a beer-loving sports nut who dabbles in homebrewing and writes about beer to seek solace from his full-time job as a primary school teacher.
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer:
My good beer experience began in London, when I was taking a tour of the Greenwich Meantime Brewery in 2010. All the ingredients were laid out in front of me and we were able to eat the malts and smell the fresh hops; the fresh beer out of the tanks probably helped as well. This is the moment I realised "beer can be better", opening my mind to all the possibilities.
I then began exploring London for all the great beer spots and ticking off beers from smaller breweries; it was mind blowing. On my return to Australia, I continued to explore, starting where a lot of people started, with Stone and Wood Pacific Ale.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
There needs to be a good cross-section of styles when doing this, I believe; you never know what beer will be the hook. I would come armed with a tropical pale ale, an IPA that is on the sweeter/sticky side (not one that is too bitter) and probably an oatmeal stout.
The last beer you enjoyed:
The last beers I had came from The Wheaty and all of their beers are always great.
Name three things that represent you.
- Very long road trips
- Watching and playing any sport
- Beer, beer, beer, beer.
