The Dainton Family Brewery’s Cherrywood Smoked Baltic Porter was named Champion Australian Craft Beer at tonight’s awards at the Adelaide Oval.

The Cherrywood Smoked Baltic Porter won its category of Champion Porter Stout before being named the overall winner.

Unique and interesting: Dainton
Dan Dainton was inspired to brew the beer when he discovered the cherrywood smoked malt available through supplier Bintani, he told Brews News.

“I just loved it. I put that together with a classic baltic porter recipe and we added a bit of rye to lift the body,” the Dainton Family Brewery founder said.

“When you drink it, it’s 8.8 per cent [ABV] but a lot of people think it’s 5 per cent, it just tasted like a beer that you’d want to drink a lot of, that was still unique and interesting.”

He said Dainton Family Brewery has continually worked on improving the quality of its beers.

“There’s so many great beers in Australia now. To be ranked alongside the guys that I look up to – Modus Operandi, Pirate Life, 4 Pines – some of the best brewers in Australia, is just fantastic,” he said.

Wheaty, Fixation, 4 Pines gonged
Other best-in-category award winners were: Champion Pale Ale, Philter Brewing’s XPA; Champion Amber Dark Ale, Eagle Bay Brewing Company’s Black IPA; Champion Wheat, Feral Brewing Co’s Watermelon Warhead; Champion Specialty Beer, Rocks Brewing Co’s Conviction Pale Ale; Champion Lager, Australian Beer Company’s Yenda Crisp Lager; Champion IPA, Pirate Life’s Mosaic IPA; and Champion French & Belgian Styles to Black Font Brewhouse’s Organic Saison de Ville.

Dan Dainton accepts top prize in Adelaide

TheIndependent Brewers Association’sexecutive directorChris McNamara
said winners represented a diverse range and wonderful cross-section of the craft industry, from the small to larger operations.

Dainton Family Brewing is situated near Frankston on the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay and has only been operating for a few years. Founder and head brewer Dan Dainton was ecstatic with the win.

4 Pines Brewing Co was named Champion Brewery – Large; Fixation Brewing Co was named Champion Brewery – Medium; and Wheaty Brewing Corps was named Champion Brewery – Small.

This year’s awards were the culmination of the industry’s three-day conference and trade expo at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The Service to Craft Beer Awards gong went to Blair Hayden from the Lord Nelson Brewery.