This is an extract from AIBA Media Release

12 May 2006

An Australian beer has been crowned Grand Champion at the 2006 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).

It is the first time in seven years that a local brewery has taken top honors in the international competition which this year judged a record number of 974 beers from 31 countries.

The Grand Champion Trophy for 2006 was awarded last night to The Redoak Brewery of Sydney for its Redoak Special Reserve.

The Redoak Brewery was established in 2004 by Janet and David Hollyoak. It is described as a ‘boutique brewery’ and is connected with The Redoak Boutique Beer Café in Sydney.

The brewery also won the National Liquor News Trophy for Champion Specialty Beer at the Awards Presentation dinner in Melbourne.

The Australian International Beer Awards are now the second largest awards of their type in the world. They are conducted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RAS), an organisation dedicated to excellence in agriculture, and the University of Ballarat, which offers the only accredited brewing courses available in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 2006 Premier’s Trophy for the Best Victorian Beer was won by Mountain Goat Surefoot Stout, brewed by Mountain Goat Beer, Richmond, Victoria.

The Premier is Patron of the Australian International Beer Awards and the introduction in 2002 of the Premier’s Trophy further highlights the importance of Victoria’s brewing industry.

A new Trophy was included in the Awards this year in memory of Gary Sheppard, who died in May last year. Gary was Chairman of the Committee of the Australian International Beer Awards for many years and a Vice President and long serving Councillor of the RAS.

The inaugural Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy for Best New Exhibitor was awarded to the Last Drop Brewery, Western Australia.

Other results from the 2006 Awards include:

• The University of Ballarat Vice-Chancellor’s Trophy for Champion Australasian Brewery – Little Creatures Brewing, Western Australia
• International Malting Company Trophy for Champion International Brewery - Schneider Weisse, Private Weissbierbrauerei, Bavaria, Germany
• Australian Engineered Brewing Services Trophy for Champion Small Brewery - Colonial Brewing Co, WA
• Visy Industries Trophy for Champion Lager – Tooheys New, Tooheys Pty Ltd, New South Wales
• City of Ballarat Trophy for Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer – Carlton Mid, Fosters Australia, Queensland
• Lancer Pacific Trophy for Champion Ale - BridgePort India Pale Ale, BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon, USA
• Champion Stout – Mountain Goat Surefoot Stout, Mountain Goat Beer, Victoria
• Champion Packaging Award – Moo Brew Pilsner, Moorilla Estate, Tasmania, Australia

The Labelmakers Judges Award was presented to each of the judges who participated this year.

Full results can be viewed on the Awards website: www.beerawards.com.au

The beer loving public will have the chance to sample many of the brews entered for the Awards at Beertopia which will be conducted over three days – 12, 13 and 14 May - at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne. Festival tickets will be on sale at the door or via www.beertopia.com.au

Media please note: The Grand Champion Winner will attend the ‘Meet the Winners’ news conference tomorrow morning (12 May), as will many other award winners, plus Chief Judge Peter Manders and Chief Steward Dr Peter Aldred. The news conference will be held at 10.00 am in the Royal Exhibition Buildings on the Beertopia Stage (enter via the Museum entrance).