It took six panels of judges to determine the overall winners of the 2015 Perth Royal Beer Show in what has been classed as one of the ‘toughest’ competitions in the event’s history.

It also, according to chief judge Sean Symons, “has been an exemplary year for beer – demonstrating that WA is an empirical part of the beer renaissance.”

With a record breaking 570 entries accumulated from 49 commercial and 110 amateur brewers, the taste test was well and truly ‘on’ as judges lined up the brews.

In the commercial section WA competitors – Mash Brewing of Henley Brook cleaned up the medals to claim the highly sought after Premier’s Trophy for the Best West Australian Beer of the Show, the Sail and Anchor Trophy for Best Western Australian Brewery – a trophy they carried off in 2014, and The Lion Trophy for Best Reduced Alcohol Packaged.

The Hopco Trophy for Best Stout Draught was awarded to Nail Brewing, Applecross, while newcomer to the event, northern suburbs Mindarie-based, Indian Ocean Brewing won the Cryer Malt Trophy for Best Lager Draught.

Fremantle brewery Little Creatures walked away with The Edith Cowan University Trophy for Best Stout Packaged, Gage Roads Brewing Co Ltd, Palmyra – The Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle Trophy for Best Reduced Alcohol Draught while Billabong Brewing Pty Ltd, Myaree, was awarded the Brewmart Trophy for Best Wheat Beer Packaged.

Duckstein Brewery, Cowaramup, walked away with the Cryer Malt Trophy for Best Wheat Beer Draught.

First time entrants and eastern seaboard competitors to ‘clean up’ the awards – Pirate Life Brewing, South Australia, won the Hopco Trophy for Best Commercial Brewery, the Container Refrigeration Trophy for Best Ale Packaged and the Menu magazine Trophy for Best Packaging and Design.

West End Brewery won the Edith Cowan University Trophy for Best Lager Packaged.

Victoria’s – 3 Ravens Brewing carried off the Beer and Beef Club of Perth Trophy and $1000 cash prize for the Best Commercial Beer of the Show as well as the Beer and Beef Club of Perth Trophy for Best Ale Draught.

L-R: MC and beer judge, Justin Fox of Colonial Brewing, with winning amateur brewer Ryan Lucas

There was fierce competition from the amateur brewers with the ‘top drop’ award the Brewmart Trophy for Best Amateur Beer of the Show being presented to Ryan Lucas of Perth. This award also gives Mr Lucas the opportunity for his recipe to be brewed by Swan Valley’s Feral Brewing, and be part of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA’s award winning beers to be sold to the general public at the Pop Up Bar, Urban Orchard, September 12. Mr Lucas also carried off the Brewmart Trophy for Best Ale.

The James Squire Trophy for Best Amateur Brewer was presented to Mark Smith of Subiaco while the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Trophy for Best Lager went to Richard Nevin of Kensington. David Allsworth, Byford, won the Beer and Beef Club of Perth Trophy for Best Stout; Jeremey Sambrooks, Yangebup, claimed the Brewmart Trophy for Best Reduced Alcohol and Jerome Kennedy, Bayswater, walked away with the Ecolab Trophy for Best Wheat Beer.

Sean Symons, Chief Judge and former brewing manager at WA Swan Brewery says:

“We continued our interest from last year with an encouraging increase in Amateur brewers from which 109 medals were awarded, also a substantial increase in commercial brewers – from which 185 medals were awarded. These numbers represent a considerable increase in medals awarded from 2014 which is a familiar picture in my history with this competition. This shows that the standards of the entries continue to both improve and impress.

“The Amateur section demonstrated both an impressive range of style and more attention to detail in their entries with the standards continuing to improve year on year.

“The Commercial section was more focussed on excellent quality with a substantial increase in gold and silver medals awarded.

“An increase in local and interstate judging talent underpinned this year’s show to provide mentorship and quality assurance to the judging process,” says a delighted Mr Symons.