Beer News - Stella stars
Stella stars, Willie Simpson, 8 May 2007, The Age
"THE champion lager was an unknown, the best new exhibitor was unpronounceable and the Premier's trophy for best Victorian beer went to, unbelievably, Stella Artois (the Belgian lager is made by Foster's under licence at Abbotsford).
Welcome to the 2007 Australian International Beer Awards, which this year threw up an even wilder grab-bag of surprises, anomalies and brain-snappers than usual.
Perhaps the organisers knew they had a rib-tickling script on their hands when they hired a stand-up comic for the awards dinner (and programmed the event to coincide with the Melbourne Comedy Festival).
Certainly the crowd chortled along when he tried to get his tongue around Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven but he really brought the house down when he read out Stella Artois as best Victorian beer.
To be fair, the Premier's trophy is awarded automatically to "the highest-scoring beer produced in Victoria" and the brewers at Foster's probably got as big a surprise as anyone that the Belgian
beer was even eligible for the trophy.
"We're delighted that Stella Artois was honoured at this year's Australian International Beer Awards," said Stella Artois spokesman Garry Hastings. "It's really nice recognition for the brewing team and confirms what premium drinkers have known for some time, that it's a great tasting beer."
But the engraving on the silverware says "Best Victorian Beer" and it's obviously an anomaly if it can be won by a foreign brew; perhaps the Premier's department could clear it all up by inserting a "state-of-origin" clause somewhere, in future.
On a more serious side, Victorian craft breweries performed well, picking up a swagful of medals, while Western Australian trio Colonial, Feral and Little Creatures breweries picked up four major trophies among them. It certainly highlights the two states where most of the craft beer action is concentrated at present.
In just his second year at the awards, young Beechworth brewer Ben Kraus was arguably the state's most successful entrant, with one gold and seven silver medals from 10 entries.
"We've lifted our game but so has the rest of Victoria," Mr Kraus says.
While his beers scored consistently well across a broad range of styles, which includes Bavarian weizen, saison and biere de garde, it was his everyday quaffer, Beechworth Australian Ale, that won gold.
"It was the first beer I made," he says. "We're in a small regional area and I wanted something moderate but well-balanced that would open people's minds to our other beers. "Some people aren't open to big, hoppy styles and we don't want to scare them," he says. "Australian Ale is our most popular beer on tap in the brewery."
The ale is made with Australian hops and malted barley and Mr Kraus says it's "the style of beer that was brewed in the past" but with "good balance, some hop aroma and estery characters".
Other Victorian breweries to win multiple silver medals included Matilda Bay Brewing (3), Holgate Brewhouse (3), Hargreaves Hill (3), Temple Brewing (3), 3 Ravens (2), Grand Ridge (5), Jamieson (2), Red Hill (4) and both James Squire Brewhouses - Portland Hotel (3) and Docklands (2)."
"THE champion lager was an unknown, the best new exhibitor was unpronounceable and the Premier's trophy for best Victorian beer went to, unbelievably, Stella Artois (the Belgian lager is made by Foster's under licence at Abbotsford).
Welcome to the 2007 Australian International Beer Awards, which this year threw up an even wilder grab-bag of surprises, anomalies and brain-snappers than usual.
Perhaps the organisers knew they had a rib-tickling script on their hands when they hired a stand-up comic for the awards dinner (and programmed the event to coincide with the Melbourne Comedy Festival).
Certainly the crowd chortled along when he tried to get his tongue around Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven but he really brought the house down when he read out Stella Artois as best Victorian beer.
To be fair, the Premier's trophy is awarded automatically to "the highest-scoring beer produced in Victoria" and the brewers at Foster's probably got as big a surprise as anyone that the Belgian
beer was even eligible for the trophy.
"We're delighted that Stella Artois was honoured at this year's Australian International Beer Awards," said Stella Artois spokesman Garry Hastings. "It's really nice recognition for the brewing team and confirms what premium drinkers have known for some time, that it's a great tasting beer."
But the engraving on the silverware says "Best Victorian Beer" and it's obviously an anomaly if it can be won by a foreign brew; perhaps the Premier's department could clear it all up by inserting a "state-of-origin" clause somewhere, in future.
On a more serious side, Victorian craft breweries performed well, picking up a swagful of medals, while Western Australian trio Colonial, Feral and Little Creatures breweries picked up four major trophies among them. It certainly highlights the two states where most of the craft beer action is concentrated at present.
In just his second year at the awards, young Beechworth brewer Ben Kraus was arguably the state's most successful entrant, with one gold and seven silver medals from 10 entries.
"We've lifted our game but so has the rest of Victoria," Mr Kraus says.
While his beers scored consistently well across a broad range of styles, which includes Bavarian weizen, saison and biere de garde, it was his everyday quaffer, Beechworth Australian Ale, that won gold.
"It was the first beer I made," he says. "We're in a small regional area and I wanted something moderate but well-balanced that would open people's minds to our other beers. "Some people aren't open to big, hoppy styles and we don't want to scare them," he says. "Australian Ale is our most popular beer on tap in the brewery."
The ale is made with Australian hops and malted barley and Mr Kraus says it's "the style of beer that was brewed in the past" but with "good balance, some hop aroma and estery characters".
Other Victorian breweries to win multiple silver medals included Matilda Bay Brewing (3), Holgate Brewhouse (3), Hargreaves Hill (3), Temple Brewing (3), 3 Ravens (2), Grand Ridge (5), Jamieson (2), Red Hill (4) and both James Squire Brewhouses - Portland Hotel (3) and Docklands (2)."
posted by Stewart Went at
7:24 pm
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