Drinktec hosted the Brewing Industry International Awards this year, making it the first time the awards were judged outside the United Kingdom in their 119-year history. Organizers said the change of venue increased exposure to the thousands of show visitors, and that the logistical challenges of the technical installation and judging were a success. Thirty commercial brewers from 17 countries served as competition judges, evaluating 752 beers from 43 countries over three days.

U.S. brewers went home with two of the nine Champion Beer trophies, and nine awards in total, including four awards in three separate categories for Rogue Ales.

In 2004, Sierra Nevada became the first American brewer ever to win a medal in a draft beer category with its Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and the company defended its title in Munich by once again taking the gold medal and the Champion Beer title in the keg ales category. It also went home with a silver award in the bottled ale competition.

Boston Beer Co.’s Samuel Adams Cream Stout took a gold medal in the dark milds, stouts and porters category as well as being named Champion Beer. It is the first Champion Beer for the company at these competitions.

Rogue Ales was the most successful American brewery, with a gold, two silvers and a bronze medal, representing achievement over a range of categories including specialty beers, strong lager and packaged ale.

All judges for the event are practicing brewers and were called upon to evaluate beers based their commercial appeal. The competition’s organizers say the next awards will return to the United Kingdom in fall 2007.

Brewing Industry International Award Winners
Lagers
Champion	Tyskie Gronie	Kompania Piwowarska, Poland
Class 1: 2.2-4.4% ABV
GOLD	Myanmar	Myanmar Brewery, Myanmar
SILVER	Cisk Lager	Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, Malta
BRONZE	Arany Aszok	Dreher Breweries Ltd, Hungary
Class 2: 4.5-5.5% ABV
GOLD	Karlovacko	Karlovacko Pivovara, Croatia
SILVER	Augsburger Herren Pils	Brauerei S. Riegele, Germany
BRONZE	Ursus Premium	Ursus Breweries, Romania
Class 3: 5.6-6.9% ABV
GOLD	Tyskie Gronie	Kompania Piwowarska, Poland
SILVER	Kronenbourg Premier Cru	S&N, France
BRONZE	Leffe Blond	Inbev, Belgium
Ales
Champion	Badger First Gold	Hall & Woodhouse Ltd, U.K.
Class 1: 2.5-4.3% ABV
GOLD	Badger First Gold	Hall & Woodhouse, U.K.
SILVER	Bitter and Twisted	Harviestoun Brewery, U.K.
BRONZE	Dorothy Goodbody’s Golden Ale	Wye Valley Brewery, U.K.
Class 2: 4.4-5.1% ABV
GOLD	1849	Joseph Holt, U.K.
SILVER	Maple Moon	Joseph Holt Ltd., U.K.
BRONZE	Hertford Castle	McMullen & Sons Ltd., U.K.
Class 3: 5.2-6.9% ABV
GOLD	BridgePort India Pale Ale	BridgePort Brewing Co., USA
SILVER	Sierra Nevada Pale Ale	Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., USA
BRONZE	Rogue American Amber	Rogue Ales, USA
Class 4: Organic : 2.5-6.9% ABV
GOLD	Natureland Organic Ale	Pacific Western Brewing, Canada
SILVER	Whitstable Bay Organic Ale	Shepherd Neame, U.K.
BRONZE	Border Gold Organic Ale	Broughton Ales, U.K.