Barossa Valley Brewing picked up four trophies at the 2023 Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards, although the Best Beer In Show trophy is heading interstate to WA after Nowhereman's Rhapsody XPA was judged the top drop.

Every one of the 12 beers entered by one of the original SA craft brewers picked up a medal, helping Barossa Valley Brewing take out Best Small Brewery to kick off a weekend on which they're showcasing the latest stage in their ongoing AI beer project at the Adelaide Beer & BBQ Fest.

Nine years on from claiming the Best In Show gong for their Canis Majoris IIPA, they won Champion Lager (Barossa Bock), Champion IPA and Champion Reduced Alcohol beer, commenting on their socials afterwards: "None of this would have been possible without a great team but also wouldn't have been possible without the support of an industry in which all our 'competitors' are quick to help whenever there is need. Good beer. Good people. Not a bad industry to work in."

A year on from picking up two trophies at the competition, Perth-based Nowhereman followed up with Champion Ale and Most Outstanding Beer In Show for Rhapsody XPA, while Better Beer took out Best New Exhibit. The remainder of the trophies went to home state brewers.

Watsacowie's Ethel Porter was named Champion Porter or Stout, Vale Brewing took Alternative Grain Beer/Speciality Trophy for awards favourite Fox Hat Breaded Mongrel, while Coopers walked away with another Champion Large Brewery title.

Of Barossa Valley's win, chief beer judge Stephen Nelsen said: “Denham and his team have been a perennial favourite at our awards and have been putting out solid beers from Tanunda for a while now. 

“They have really established themselves in the heart of wine country and this acknowledgement is much deserved for their years of hard work.”

He was also eager to celebrate the success of breweries based in regional parts of the state.

“When you see a brewer like Watsacowie from the southern Yorke Peninsula winning Best Stout while using barley from local farms, it really drives home that connection between beer and our incredible South Australian agriculture.

“We are so lucky to have all of this in our backyard and I would love to see people get out into our regions and see some of our great brewers, just like they do with our wine regions.” 

In the cider competition, all three trophies when to Barossa Valley Cider Company.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

THE CCL LABEL TROPHY for CHAMPION REDUCED ALCOHOL BEER

• BAROSSA VALLEY BREWING - SUMMER SESSION ALE

THE SIP'N SAVE TROPHY for CHAMPION LAGER

• BAROSSA VALLEY BREWING - BAROSSA BOCK

THE BOC TROPHY for CHAMPION ALE

• NOWHEREMAN BREWING CO - RHAPSODY XPA

THE HOP PRODUCTS AUSTRALIA TROPHY for CHAMPION IPA

• BAROSSA VALLEY BREWING - HOP HEAVEN

THE ANDALE MICRO MATIC TROPHY for CHAMPION PORTER OR STOUT

• WATSACOWIE BREWING COMPANY - ETHEL PORTER

THE ECOLAB TROPHY for CHAMPION ALTERNATIVE GRAIN BEER/SPECIALTY

• VALE BREWING - FOX HAT BEARDED MONGREL

THE SIMON FAHEY TROPHY for BEST NEW EXHIBIT

• BETTER BEER – ZERO CARB

THE BINTANI AUSTRALIA TROPHY for CHAMPION SMALL BREWERY

• BAROSSA VALLEY BREWING

THE FASSINA LIQUOR TROPHY FOR CHAMPION LARGE BREWERY

• COOPERS BREWING

THE ORORA GROUP TROPHY FOR MOST OUTSTANDING BEER IN SHOW

• NOWHEREMAN RHAPSODY XPA

You can view the full list of entrants and medalists, including those in cider, here. Photo at top of article by John Kruger.