Once again the Australian Liquor Industry Awards (ALIA) lived up to its billing as the industry’s night of nights.
With over 500 people from across the industry and from across the country in the room, 56 awards were presented, including 12 Major Awards incorporating Bartender of the Year, Hotel of the Year as well as the On- and Off-Premise Suppliers of the Year.
Every year ALIA has a theme, which helps make it the fun night that it is, and this year everyone got their groove on with the 70s Disco theme – and the night lived up to its billing as The Star was full of disco fever.
The night kicked off with pre-drinks sponsored by Good Drinks, and throughout the night guests were treated to networking bars from Gage Roads, Rum Co of Fiji and Vonu and Whitley Neil. The night was then topped off with after-party drinks sponsored by Mr Black.
Then, after the off-premise and on-premise awards were presented, the major awards were handed out with the first of the night being the Bartender of the Year, which this year went to Millie Tang from The Gresham.
Next up was the Publican of the Year, this year went to Iain Ling from The Lincoln in Melbourne.
The award for Bar of the Year went to the Maybe Sammy team from Sydney, while The Esplanade in Melbourne was named as the Hotel of the Year. Solotel was then named Hotel Group of the Year for the second year running, before Bar Group Operator of the Year went to Applejack Hospitality – who finally took the top prize after being highly commended for the last four years.
Suntory’s Roku Gin won the New Product of the Year award, while Four Pillars became the first craft spirit to be named as the Liquor Brand of the Year.
On the retail side it was a successful night for Cellarbrations after being named Retail Group of the Year and once again The Oak Barrel was named as the Liquor Store of the Year.
The final two awards of the night are the supplier awards; the On-Premise Supplier of the Year award went to Lion and then the final award of the night saw Asahi Premium Beverages named as the Off-Premise Supplier of the Year for the third year in a row.
OFF-PREMISE AWARDS
BEER
Full Strength, sponsored by ILG: Winner – Coopers Pale Ale
Highly Commended – Great Northern Original
Mid & Low Strength, sponsored by IRI: Winner – Balter Captain Sensible
Highly Commended – Great Northern Super Crisp
Low Carbohydrate, sponsored by Beer&Brewer: Winner – Hahn Super Dry
Highly Commended -Coopers Dry
Premium Domestic, sponsored by BrightSide Executive Search: Winner – Furphy Refreshing Ale
Highly Commended – Coopers Sparkling Ale
Premium International, sponsored by IRI: Winner – Asahi Super Dry
Highly Commended – Sapporo
Mainstream Craft, sponsored by LMG: Winner – 4Pines Pale Ale
Highly Commended – James Squire 150 Lashes
Independent Craft, sponsored by Kegstar: Winner – Stone & Wood Pacific Ale
Highly Commended – Bentspoke Crankshaft; Young Henry’s Newtowner
Cider, sponsored by BrightSide Executive Search: Winner – Willie Smith’s
Highly Commended – Somersby
Best Marketed Beer or Cider, sponsored by Merch&Effect Winner – Great Northern
Highly Commended – Furphy Refreshing Ale
WINE
Red Wine – $14.99 and under, sponsored by IRI: Winner – 19 Crimes
Highly Commended – Jacob’s Creek Reserve; Fifth Leg
Red Wine – $15 to $29.99, sponsored by National Liquor News: Winner – Pepperjack
Highly Commended – Wirra Wirra Church Block
Red Wine – $30 and over, sponsored by BrightSide Executive Search: Winner – St Hugo
Highly Commended – Taylors St Andrews
White Wine – $14.99 and under, sponsored by National Liquor News: Winner – Yalumba Y Series
Highly Commended – Fifth Leg
White Wine $15 to $29.99, sponsored by ILG: Winner – Squealing Pig
Highly Commended – Shaw & Smith
White Wine – $30 and over, sponsored by PKF: Winner – Leeuwin Art Series
Highly Commended – Coldstream Hills
Rose Wine, sponsored by National Liquor News: Winner – Squealing Pig
Highly Commended – De Bortoli La Bohème
Australian and International Sparkling, sponsored by TheShout: Winner – Brown Brothers Prosecco
Highly Commended – Jansz
Champagne, sponsored by BrightSide Executive Search: Winner – G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge NV
Highly Commended – Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label
Dessert & Fortified, sponsored by Australian Hotelier: Winner – De Bortoli Noble One
Highly Commended – Morris of Rutherglen Classic
Canned Wine, sponsored by National Liquor News: Winner – Squealing Pig
Highly Commended – Riot Rosé
Best Marketed Wine, sponsored by Merch&Effect: Winner – Squealing Pig
Highly Commended – G H Mumm
Non-Alcoholic, sponsored by Drinks Innovation Summit: Winner – Heineken 0.0
Highly Commended – Seedlip Garden 108
SPIRITS
Dark Spirit, sponsored by ILG: Winner – The Kraken Spiced Rum
Highly Commended – Jack Daniel’s
Light Spirit, sponsored by IRI: Winner – Bombay Sapphire
Highly Commended – Tanqueray
Luxury Dark Spirit, sponsored by TheShout: Winner – Lagavulin
Highly Commended – Talisker
Luxury Light Spirit, sponsored by Australian Hotelier: Winner – Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
Highly Commended – Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin
Dark RTD/RTS, sponsored by LMG: Winner – Jack Daniel’s Double Jack
Highly Commended – Canadian Club
Light RTD/RTS, sponsored by PKF: Winner – Gordon’s Gin & Tonic
Highly Commended – Pimm’s No1 Cup
Liqueurs, sponsored by IRI: Winner – Mr. Black
Highly Commended – Cointreau
Best Marketed Spirit/RTD/RTS, sponsored by Merch&Effect: Winner – Canadian Club
Highly Commended – Bombay Sapphire
ON-PREMISE AWARDS
Best New Venue or Concept, sponsored by Bars and Clubs: Winner – The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
Felons Brewing Co, Brisbane
Best New Bar, sponsored by TimeOut: Winner – Maybe Sammy, Sydney
Highly commended – Old Mate’s Place, Sydney
Best Sports Venue, sponsored by Sportsyear: Winner – The Sheaf, Sydney
Highly commended – The Light Brigade, Sydney
Best Gaming Venue, sponsored by Pub Leaders Summit: Winner – The Tennyson Hotel, Sydney
Highly commended – Zagame’s Golden Point Club Hotel, Melbourne
Best Food Menu, sponsored by Hospitality Magazine: Winner – Barangaroo House, Sydney
Highly commended – The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
Best Music Venue, sponsored by Australian Hotelier: Winner – Frankies, Sydney
Highly commended – The Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney
Bar Manager of the Year, sponsored by Disaronno: Winner – Alexandra Dahlenburg, Mjølner, Sydney; Jamie Fleming Alba Bar & Deli, Brisbane
Highly commended – Shay Chamberlain, The Black Pearl, Melbourne
Bar Team of the Year, sponsored by Bacardi-Martini Australia: Winner – Bulletin Place, Sydney; The Gresham, Brisbane
Highly commended – Baxter Inn, Sydney
Best Draught Product, sponsored by Kegstar: Winner – Stone and Wood Pacific Ale
Highly commended – Balter XPA
Best On-Premise Spirit/Liqueur, sponsored by Australian Hotelier: Winner – Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
Highly commended – Archie Rose Signature Gin
Best Mixer, sponsored by Bars and Clubs: Winner – Fever-Tree Indian Tonic
Highly commended – Angostura Bitters; PS Soda
Best Beer List, sponsored by Gage Roads: Winner – Boilermaker House, Melbourne
Highly commended – Bitter Phew, Sydney
Best Wine List, sponsored by Signature Drinks: Winner – Bar Liberty, Melbourne
Highly commended – Bistecca, Sydney
Best Cocktail List, sponsored by Vanguard Luxury Brands: Winner – Maybe Sammy, Sydney
Highly commended – Bulletin Place, Sydney
MAJOR WINNERS
Bartender of the Year, sponsored by Rum Co of Fiji: Winner – Millie Tang, The Gresham, Brisbane
Highly commended – Jenna Hemsworth, Hubert, Sydney
Publican of the Year, sponsored by Lion: Winner – Iain Ling, The Lincoln, Melbourne
Highly commended – Paddy Walshe, Hunters Hill Hotel, Sydney
Bar of the Year, sponsored by FeverTree: Winner – Maybe Sammy, Sydney
Highly commended – The Everleigh, Melbourne
Hotel of the Year, sponsored by Coopers: Winner – The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
Highly commended – Duke of Clarence, Sydney
Bar Group Operator of the Year, sponsored by Whitley Neill: Winner – Applejack Hospitality
Highly commended – Swillhouse Group
Hotel Group Operator of the Year, sponsored by FOXSPORTS: Winner – Solotel
Highly commended – Merivale
New Product of the Year, sponsored by IRI: Winner – Suntory Roku Gin
Highly Commended – Never Never Juniper Freak
Liquor Brand of the Year, sponsored by National Liquor News: Winner – Four Pillars
Highly Commended – Archie Rose
Retail Group of the Year, sponsored by Southern Comfort: Winner – Cellarbrations
Highly Commended – Bottlemart; Liquor Barons
Liquor Store of the Year, sponsored by Asahi Premium Beverages: Winner – The Oak Barrel, Sydney
Highly Commended – Bayswater Fine Wines, Rushcutters Bay; Plonk, Fyshwick
On-premise Supplier of the Year, sponsored by Bars and Clubs and Australian Hotelier: Winner – Lion
Highly commended – Vanguard Luxury Brands
Off-Premise Supplier of the Year, sponsored by TheShout and National Liquor News: Winner – Asahi Premium Beverages
Highly Commended – Treasury Wine Estates