Brick Lane Brewing’s seasonal release, Revolver Dark Hoppy Ale, has been named the World’s Best Porter at the World Beer Awards while Big Drop Brewing Co’s Galactic Milk Stout won for best no and low alcohol andAustralia’s O’Brien Pale Ale was named World’s Best Specialty Gluten Free Beer.
Of Revolver Dark Hoppy Ale, the judges said, “Lovely pour with off white head. Aroma is hoppy green with coffee. Toasted chocolate flavour is more green hops, milk chocolate, espresso martini with a slightly spicey/ bitter finish. Velvety body, medium light, luscious if slightly black IPA in hop char”
The Revolver is yet to be released but Brick Lane head brewer Jon Seltin said it was one of the brewery’s staff favourites.
“This is an incredible recognition for our brewing team and the dedication they consistently show to our beers…To have this recognised at the World Beer Awards is really something special,” said Mr Seltin.
Paul Bowker, CEO and Founder of Brick Lane Brewing said: “We have built a world class brewery from scratch and surrounded ourselves with a community of extraordinarily talented brewers. Our biggest thrill is seeing people enjoying our beers and knowing the effort that has gone into each drop from our local Victorian barley growers and maltsters through to some of the best hop growers in the country.
“We absolutely love that Revolver has not only been a tremendous success in introducing people to the beauty of porters but is now also crowned the World’s Best.”
Alcohol-free beer specialist Big Drop Brewing Co’s Galactic Milk Stout, brewed in Melbourne, won World’s Best No & Low Alcohol beer at the awards.
Darren West, Country Director Australia & New Zealand for Big Drop said, “It has been a whirlwind 12 months since we began brewing in Australia and in that time the quality of no-low beer offerings has grown tremendously. There are some fantastic brands now emerging, which stand shoulder to shoulder with full strength beer. It’s great for the category and it ensures we keep pushing ourselves to brew the best beer we possibly can.”
West claims the secret to Galactic’s success is its ‘brew-to-strength’ or Reduced Amylase Brewing technique, pioneered by Big Drop and seen as a game-changer for the category, which has often been considered a ‘distress purchase’. This technique allows the beer to be fully fermented without the need to extract alcohol once it has been brewed. By remaining under the ‘alcohol free’ threshold of 0.5 per cent ABV throughout the whole process, Big Drop can retain the flavours and texture that would have traditionally been stripped out by removing the alcohol.
Australia’s O’Brien Pale Ale was named World’s Best Specialty Gluten Free Beer and described by judges as:
“Lovely spicy Belgian yeast nose. Attractive pale gold in colour. Taste is complex with spicy yeast and bitterness. Beer retains interest throughout to a clean, spicy, short finish. Refreshing.”
