Lager Rules As Finlay's Win Champion Beer At Perth Royal Beer Awards

June 8, 2024, by Guy Southern

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Lager Rules As Finlay's Win Champion Beer At Perth Royal Beer Awards

Finlay's Brewing, a small brewery based in Kalbarri – almost 600km north of Perth – have won Champion Beer at the 2024 Perth Royal Beer Awards. They were joined as champs by some of the state's more established names, with Rocky Ridge winning Champion Large Brewery again - their third in three years, Otherside taking out the Medium Brewery gong, and Margaret River Beer Co bringing the Small Brewery title back to the South West.

Finlay's head brewer Dave Baker (pictured above) said: "This beer started in a shed seven years ago. It's good, honest beer."

Lagers in all their many shapes and sizes have been enjoying a renaissance in recent years and it was Finlay's Dark Lager that was judged the best of all 529 beers submitted for the 2024 awards. Earlier in the evening, the beer won Best Lager – Packaged, with the Draught equivalent awarded to Gage Roads for their Alby Draught. 

And that wasn't the end of it for the Kalbarri brewers either: their Coral Coast Mid made it three pieces of silverware on the night with Best Low Alcohol Beer – Packaged.

For Rocky Ridge, their Champion Large Brewery trophy was one of two they picked up on the night. The other was for Draught, named Best Hybrid & Specialty Beer and continuing a big couple of weeks for the Jindong crew.

On June 1, we revealed they'd acquired the former Thunder Road brewery and venue in Brunswick, a move that will give them a base on the East Coast. They hope to welcome Melbourne's beer lovers through the doors by late July.

Brewery co-founder Mel Holland said: "It's a beautiful industry, and this crowd is a reminder that we're all in this together.

"To win for Draught and Rock Candy [which picked up a trophy at the Australian International Beer Awards last month] is validation for the other crazy stuff we do."

 

Esperance-based Lucky Bay added to their trophy cabinet.

 

Their near neighbours at Margaret River Beer Co enjoyed a trophy-filled night too. They've been putting out a number of IPAs in recent months and clearly they do it well. They picked up both IPA trophies with different beers: flagship In The Pines won in the packaged category; River Dog – a beer our writer described as "smooth and clean with impeccably-balanced bitterness" upon release – in draught.

Also doubling up were Campus Brewing, whose Knucklepuck Imperial Stout '23 picked up both trophies for Best Porter-Stout – a trophy that at one point seemed to end up in Margaret River's hands for their Panther Cream.

"The aim has always been being for big complex beers, and drinkability," said Campus head brewer Kail Bryce.

Boundary Island proved last year's Best New Exhibitor success was no flash in the pan. They proved their brewing chops by taking out the trophies for both Best Pale Ale – Packaged (Estuary Ale XPA) and Best Low Alcohol Beer – Draught (Island Lager). The 2024 Best New Brewery trophy went to FOUND., who we'll be joining for a member event at their Maylands venue in late July.

One of our WA team's favourite annual releases, Otherside's Redliner, pick up another trophy to go with the Myaree brewer's Medium Brewery win, while Bailey Brewing's Mid claimed Best Pale Ale – Draught in the month they're opening two new venues in the state.

The other trophies awarded on the night went to Shelter Brewing's Red Ale, Old Coast Road Brewing's OCRB Saison, Homestead Brewery's Kaiser's Choice Hefeweizen, and Lucky Bay's The Mountaineer, a barrel-aged barley wine.


Perth Royal Beer Awards 2024 Winners

The FOUND. team celebrate their Best New Brewery trophy.

 

CHAMPION BEER

  • Finlay's Brewing Co

CHAMPION LARGE BREWERY

  • Rocky Ridge Brewing Company

CHAMPION MEDIUM BREWERY

  • Otherside Brewing Co

CHAMPION SMALL BREWERY

  • Margaret River Beer Co

BEST NEW BREWERY

  • FOUND.

BEST LAGER PACKAGED

  • Finlay's Brewing Co Dark Lager

BEST LAGER DRAUGHT

  • Gage Roads Alby Draught

 

 

BEST AMBER - DARK ALE PACKAGED

  • Otherside Brewing Co Redliner (team pictured above)

BEST AMBER - DARK ALE DRAUGHT

  • Shelter Brewing Co Red Ale

BEST PALE ALE PACKAGED

  • Boundary Island Brewery Estuary Ale XPA

BEST PALE ALE DRAUGHT

  • Bailey Brewing Co Mid

BEST INDIA PALE ALE PACKAGED

  • Margaret River Beer Co In The Pines

BEST INDIA PALE ALE DRAUGHT

  • Margaret River Beer Co River Dog

 

 

BEST PORTER - STOUT PACKAGED & DRAUGHT

  • Campus Brewing (pictured above) Knucklepuck Imperial Stout '23

BEST EUROPEAN STYLE BEER PACKAGED

  • Old Coast Rd Brewery OCRB Saison

BEST EUROPEAN STYLE BEER DRAUGHT

  • Homestead Brewery Kaiser's Choice

BEST HYBRID & SPECIALTY BEER PACKAGED

  • Lucky Bay Brewing The Mountaineer

BEST HYBRID & SPECIALTY BEER DRAUGHT

  • Rocky Ridge Brewing Company Draught

BEST LOW ALCOHOL BEER PACKAGED

  • Finlay's Brewing Co Coral Coast Mid

BEST LOW ALCOHOL BEER DRAUGHT

  • Boundary Island Brewing Island Lager
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