Cheers to winning beers

A record number of judged entries, 437 submitted by 114 exhibitors, made it a tough competition at this year’s Perth Royal Beer Show.
 
In the commercial section, Fremantle’s Monk Brewery and Kitchen won the prestigious and highly valued Premier’s Trophy for the Best West Australian Beer of the Show, the Hopco Trophy for Best Stout Draught and the Beer and Beef Club of Perth Trophy for Best Commercial Beer of the Show.
 
However, it was Mash Brewing of Henley Brook that took away The Sail and Anchor Trophy for the Best West Australian Brewery; the Hopco Trophy for the Best Commercial Brewery and the Beer and Beef Club of Perth Trophy for Best Ale Draught.
Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle Trophy for Best Reduced Alcohol Draught
was claimed by Margaret River’s Cheeky Monkey Brewery and Cidery while Perth’s The Old Brewery walked away with the Cryer Malt Trophy for Best Lager Draught.
 
The Edith Cowan University Trophy was awarded to Nail Brewing Australia, Applecross, for Best Stout Packaged while Billabong Brewing of Myaree won The Cryer Malt Trophy for their Best Wheat Beer Draught.
 
Eagle Bay Brewing of Dunsborough claimed the Lion Trophy for Best Reduced Alcohol Packaged while Palmyra’s Gage Road Brewing won the Menu Magazine Trophy for Best Packaging and Design
 
The remaining awards were taken up by New South Wales’ breweries – Redoak Boutique Beer won the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Trophy for Best Wheat Beer Packaged and Tooheys Pty Ltd – Lion Co carried off the Edith Cowan University Embargoed:
 
Trophy for Best Lager Packaged as well as the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Trophy for Best Ale Packaged..
 
Entries from amateur brewer were higher this year and the competition was pretty fierce.
 
Mark Rivers, Dudley Park, won the James Squire Trophy for Best Amateur Brewer while Josh Masters, Sorrento, carried off the Best Amateur Beer of the Show and The Brewmart Trophy for Best Ale.
 
The Royal Agricultural Society of WA Trophies were awarded to Dave Coremans, Cloverdale, for Best Lager, and to Matt Marinich, Spearwood, for Best Reduced Alcohol.
 
The Beer and Beef Club of Perth Trophy was claimed by David Allsworth, Byford, for Best Stout while Alex Churchill-Gray, Mt Claremont, was presented with the Ecolab Trophy for Best Wheat Beer.
 
Sean Symons, Chief Judge and former brewer at WA Swan Brewery was particularly impressed with this year’s exhibits:
 
“The standard of the entries continue to improve year on year. The great thing we saw with this year’s competition was a good 10 per cent increase in medals awarded across the board which proves the entries themselves are achieving much higher quality expectations,” says Mr Symons.