A Beijing-based independent brewery has won the top accolade of best international beer at the largest annual beer competition in the world, seeing off close to 3,000 competitions from Australia and rest of the world.
The winning beer, Lindongjiangzhi Weizenbock or ‘winter is coming’ craft beer by NBeer Craft Brewing Co, won the prestigious Champion International Beer and Best Wheat Beer, the organizer has announced.
NBeer Craft Brewing is one of the most internationally awarded craft brewing companies in the world, having also previously won the Champion Medium International Brewery award in 2021. Established in 2013, the Bejing-based brewery is one of the first natively-owned-and-brewed craft beer brands in China, and to this day remains a leader of China’s craft beer movement, gaining a dedicated following among the nation’s craft beer fanatics.
Celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the awards in 2023, the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards is the largest annual beer competition in the world assessing both draught and packaged beer. This year, the Awards saw 75 judges from around Australia and abroad critique 2826 entries from over 400 exhibitors from 21 countries.
Altogether, this year Melbourne Royal has awarded 36 prestigious trophies in the 2023 Australian International Beer Awards to breweries across Australia and the globe, with a sold-out Trophy Presentation Dinner on 25 May, held at the iconic Victoria Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds.
Australia’s homegrown brand Dollar Bill Brewing won the prestigious title of Champion Australian Beer for their Candy Paint 2023 Barrel Aged Sour Ale, which also took out the Best Fruit Beer award.
Further international winners include Japan’s Kirin Brewery Company, which won Best International Lager for their Spring Valley Hojun 496; and Samuel Adams Brewery from Massachusetts, United States won Best Non-Alcohol Beer for their Samuel Adams Gold Rush.
“The growth of the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards has been extraordinary,” said Brad Jenkins, Melbourne Royal CEO.
“Since the award’s inception in 1993, to grow from 128 entries to now receiving a record number of entrants in our 30th year, from brewers from every continent other than Antarctica, illustrates the prestige the awards are now held in.
“Heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of medals and trophies, there’s nothing quite like winning at the world’s largest annual beer competition.”
