Ballarat’s Dollar Bill Brewing has been awarded the prestigious title of Champion Australian Beer for its Gold Teeth 2021 wild beer at the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).

Dollar Bill takes fresh pressed fruit, honey and wort from local producers, which is then fermented and aged in French oak barrels and blended to create Belgian-inspired ales, cider, mead and barrel-aged beers. 

Sour and wild beers have been rapidly gaining popularity in Australia in recent years and have become a staple on the taps at many craft breweries around the country.

The AIBA win was a sweet one for the couple behind the winning beer, Ed and Fiona Nolle (above), during a tough year that saw their application to open a cellar door rejected in February by their local council.

“What just happened?” the pair said after their win last night. “Best Fruit Beer Champions at the AIBAs – Gold Teeth, Barrel Aged Peach Sour. Unbelievable! Thanks so much to all the judges and people behind the scenes and to everyone who believes in us and supports us.”

35 trophies were awarded to breweries across the globe at AIBA, conducted by The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV).

This year saw the introduction of a new trophy category for Champion Victorian Brewery, presented by the State Government of Victoria, that was awarded to Footscray’s Hop Nation Brewing Co.

There was significant growth in the IPA category again this year, and trophies were awarded for the first time for two styles: Best Traditional IPA, which was awarded to ACT’s BentSpoke Brewing Co. for their Sprocket Draught, and the Best Modern IPA, which was awarded to WA’s Cheeky Monkey Brewery’s Lefties, Draught.

Other prestigious categories include Champion International Beer which went to Auckland’s Deep Creek Brewing Company for their Sauvage, that had earlier in the night taken out the trophy for Best Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beer.

Pinnacle scoops Design Award Trophy

Pinnacle Drinks’ popular Stubbie Refreshing Beer has won a Champion Design Award trophy at last night’s Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).

The trophy was awarded for Best Design – Label/Surface Graphic.

“The beer team at Pinnacle/Endeavour Drinks are a bunch of passionate beer nerds and are very humbled by this recognition by the AIBA,” said George Stupart, senior brand manager – Beer & Cider at Pinnacle Drinks.

“This award is a reflection of our relentless focus on our customers’ needs and our great partnerships with leading Australian design agencies and breweries, to bring to life a range of beers that we and our customers love,”

The Endeavour/Pinnacle Drinks Beer team partnered with Sydney based agency Creative Platform to create the label and packaging design.

“The design needed to bring the flavour offering and brand story to life and so we opted for simple but eye-catching colours of powder blue and brown in a retro-style, easy-to-hold stubbie bottle,” said Arnie Grainger, director at Creative Platform.

Stubbie is a sessionable Kölsch style beer – a style that’s becoming increasingly popular amongst everyday beer drinkers.

“We value greatly the long-standing relationship we have with Australia’s leading breweries who use their incredible skill to help us in our ongoing commitment to quench the thirst of Australian beer lovers,” said George.

AIBA back bigger and better than ever

The AIBA is the largest annual beer competition in the world assessing both draught and packaged beer and this year, and this year saw over 75 judges taste 2500 entries from 402 exhibitors, from 21 countries. Award winners were handed their trophies last night in front of a sell-out crowd at the Awards Presentation Dinner, held at Melbourne Showgrounds Victoria Pavilion.

RASV CEO Brad Jenkins said: “As the world’s largest annual beer competition judging both draught and packaged beer, the Australian International Beer Awards conducted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria is the pinnacle benchmarking opportunity for brewers from Australia and abroad.

“After the challenges of 2020, it was fabulous to conduct the Awards again this year and receive 2500 entries from more than 400 exhibitors and then see the beer industry come together to celebrate brewing excellence.”

Victorian breweries snapped up 12 of the trophies this year, with Hop Nation taking out several awards.

Valhalla Brewing, Two Birds Brewing Co., Dollar Bill Brewing and Fixation Brewing Co. were also among the Victorian winners.

New South Wales winners include 4 Pines Brewing Company, Six String Brewing Company, Sunday Road Brewing, Foghorn Brewery, Stone & Wood Brewing Co., and Pinnacle Drinks.

Western Australia winners include Cheeky Monkey Brewery and King Road Brewing Co.

South Australian brewery Mismatch Brewing Co. walked away with a trophy, as well as Australian Capital Territory brewery Bentspoke Brewing Co.

International winners include, Deep Creek Brewing Company, Auckland, New Zealand, Nbeer Craft Brewing Co., Sichuan, China, Goose Island Brewhouse Seoul, South Korea, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Company, Ohio, United States, China Resources Snow Breweries Co., China, Zhang Men Brewing Company, Taiwan, Dangge Brewing, China, Specific Gravity Beverage Company Pte Ltd, Singapore, and Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon, United States.

The winners list

Champion Australian Beer presented by Cryer Malt
Gold Teeth 2021, Packaged. Dollar Bill Brewing, Victoria

Champion International Beer
Sauvage, Packaged. Deep Creek Brewing Company, Auckland, New Zealand

Champion Large Australian Brewery presented by Barret Burston
4 Pines Brewing Company, New South Wales

Champion Large International Brewery presented by Barth-Haas Group
Deep Creek Brewing Company, Auckland, New Zealand

Champion Medium Australian Brewery presented by Cryer Malt
Hop Nation Pty Ltd, Victoria

Champion Medium International Brewery Presented by Kegstar
Nbeer Craft Brewing Co., Sichuan, China

Champion Small Australian Brewery Presented by Yakima Chief Hops
Cheeky Monkey Brewery, Western Australia

Champion Small International Brewery
Goose Island Brewhouse Seoul, South Korea

Champion Victorian Brewery
Hop Nation Pty Ltd

Australian Gypsy Brewer Award
Valhalla Brewing, Victoria

Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy For The Best New Exhibitor
Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Company, Ohio, United States

Best Australian-Style Lager
Lager, Draught. Two Birds Brewing Co., Victoria

Best European-Style Lager (Excluding Pilsner) Presented by Weyermann
Lager, Packaged. Mismatch Brewing Co., South Australia

Best International Lager
Coastie Lager, Draught, Six String Brewing Company, New South Wales

Best Pilsner Presented by Brews News
Rattenhund, Draught. Hop Nation Pty Ltd, Victoria

Best Amber / Dark Lager Presented By Joe White Maltings
Keller Door-Schwarzbier, Draught. 4 Pines Brewing Company, New South Wales

Best Australian Style Pale Ale Presented By Konvoy Kegs
Burleigh Twisted Palm, Draught. Burleigh Brewing Company, Queensland

Best New World-Style Pale Ale Presented By Hop Products Australia
Cryotherapy Hazy IPA, Packaged, Sunday Road Brewing, New South Wales

Best International-Style Pale Ale Presented By The Post Project
King Road IPA, Draught. King Road Brewing Co, Western Australia

Best British or European-Style Ale (Excluding IPA & Pale Ale)
Foghorn Hunter Kolsch, Draught. Foghorn Brewery Pty Ltd, New South Wales

Best Traditional IPA
Sprocket, Draught Bentspoke Brewing Co, Australian Capital Territory

Best Modern IPA
Lefties, Draught. Cheeky Monkey Brewery, Western Australia

Best Amber / Dark Ale
The Buzz, Draught. Hop Nation Pty Ltd, Victoria

Best Porter (including Baltic Style Porter Presented By Weyermann
Valhalla Brewing Obsidian, Packaged. Valhalla Brewing, Victoria

Best Reduced/Low Alcohol Beer
James Boag’s Premium Light, Packaged. J Boag & Son Brewing, Tasmania

Best Non-Alcohol Beer
Tinnies Ultra Low Alcohol, Packaged. Coles Supermarkets Australia Ltd, Victoria

Best Wheat Beer
Lowen White Beer, Packaged. China Resources Snow Breweries Co., China

Best Belgian / French Style Ale
Le Petit Biere, Draught. Stone & Wood Brewing Co., New South Wales

Best Fruit Beer Presented by CHR Hansen
Gold Teeth 2021, Packaged. Dollar Bill Brewing, Victoria

Best Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beer
Sauvage, Packaged. Deep Creek Brewing Company, Auckland, New Zealand

Best Specialty Beer
Heavy Smoker, Draught. Zhang Men Brewing Company, Taiwan

Best Specialty Flavoured Beer
Dangge Vanilla Coffee Imperial Stout, Packaged. Dangge Brewing, China

Best Design – Label/Surface Graphic
Stubbie Refreshing Beer 330ml. Pinnacle Drinks, New South Wales

Best Design – Outer Packaging
Classic IPA, Craft Lager, And Wheat Beer 4 Packs. Specific Gravity Beverage Company Pte Ltd, Singapore

Best Media Presented By The Crafty Pint
James Atkinson, New South Wales

Consistency of Excellence Medal
Products that have been awarded a gold medal for three consecutive years receive a Consistency of Excellence Medal.
1. Captain of the Coast, Packaged. Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon, United States
2. Obsession Session IPA, Draught. Fixation Brewing Co, Victoria, Australia