Mountain Goat Brewery has taken the champion beer title for its Bract to the Future brew at the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).
Some happy winners at the awards ceremony. Photograph: SDP Media
Crafted using the experimental Hops-106 varietal, from the NZ Hops Bract Program, the winning beer forms part of an exclusive global trial. Only 60 breweries worldwide have been selected to work with the hop as part of its commercialisation process, to determine whether the varietal progresses to full commercial release.
In a full-circle moment, the award was presented to Mountain Goat by Andrew Sutherland from Oast House Hops, part of the NZ Hops co-op, and the grower behind the Hops-106 varietal.
Victoria’s 2 Brothers Brewery took home the best amber/dark Ale trophy for its much-loved brew, Grizz. First entered into the AIBAs back in 2012, the beer has remained a consistent favourite over the years, previously earning a gold medal in 2017.
Love Shack Brewery was awarded best reduced/low-alcohol beer for its Midstrength Red Ale. The win comes after an especially challenging period for the brewery, which recently lost stock in bush fires. In support of affected producers, the brewery (among others) was provided with complimentary competition entries.
Stomping Ground Brewing Co was recognised with the Champion Australian Independent Beer award, cementing its reputation as one of the country’s leading independent breweries. It is known for its consistent quality, innovation, and community-driven approach to brewing.
Major trophy winners included:
- Champion large Australian brewery: Pirate Life Brewing, South Australia
- Champion medium Australian brewery: Hawkesbury Brewing Co, New South Wales
- Champion small Australian brewery: King Road Brewing Co, Western Australia
- Champion Australian independent brewery: King Road Brewing Co, Western Australia
- Champion Victorian Brewery: Hawkers Brewery, Victoria
- Champion cider or perry producer: Plenty Cider, Tasmania
- Australian nomad brewer award: Shack Bay Brewing, Victoria
- Champion large international brewery: Garage Project, Wellington
- Champion medium international brewery: COEDO Brewery, Saitama, Japan
- Champion small international brewery: Altitude Brewing, Otago, New Zealand
- Best new exhibitor: Froth Craft Brewery, Western Australia
“Each year, the standard continues to lift, and 2026 was no exception,” said Kirrily Waldhorn, senior manager of food and beverage awards at Melbourne Royal. “The quality of entries this year was exceptional, with some truly standout examples of innovation, craftsmanship, and creativity across the board.
“To be recognised at this level is a reflection of the passion and precision driving our brewing community, and a reminder of just how strong Australian and international beer continues to be on the world stage.”
