Sydney brewer Redoak has capped off a stellar month, announced as the winner of Champion Bottled Beer for its Chateau Sour at the Sydney Royal Beer and Cider Show Awards, held at Sydney Showground on Friday night.
Redoak's Sydney gong comes after the brewer picked up the Supreme Champion accolade for the same beer at the International Beer Awards in London earlier this month.
L-R: Janet Hollyoak, David Hollyoak and RAS president Robert Ryan OAM
Mash Brewing in Henley Brook, Western Australia, was another big winner, crowned Champion Draught Beer for its Russell brew. An American amber ale, the beer has been likened to Jaffa cakes due to its chocolate and orange/citrus characteristics.
In a competition first, a Champion Cider trophy was awarded, with The Barossa Valley Cider Company Pty Ltd crowned the inaugural winner.
Based in Nurioopta, South Australia, its Squashed Apple Cider was judged the standout in what is only the second year of judging cider as part of the show.
An authentic tank-fermented cider made from a special blend of South Australian apples, it is renowned for its full, rich and creamy flavour, coupled with the perfect balance of fruit sweetness and acid, leaving a crisp finish.
Chief Judge, Neal Cameron said the highlight of the competition was the superb quality of beers presented by the Australian brewing industry.
"With the largest number of entries in the history of the competition, the judges found an unprecedented seven gold and 40 silver medals amongst the entries,” he said.
“The Champion Draught Beer was a clear winner and well deserved. In the bottled beer category however, an extraordinary six Gold medals were judged to find the champion; each and every beer was outstanding and it proved almost impossible to distinguish between the top few beers.
“Overall, the Gold medals were representative across a broad range of styles showing that Australia is catching up with the rest of the world with the breadth of knowledge and experience of its brewers.”
A full list of results for the Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show can be accessed here.