Entries have opened for the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards, an annual competition assessing draught and packaged beer, along with cider and perry. Breweries and cideries from around the world are invited to enter and receive feedback from a panel of Australian and international judges.
In 2026, participants will compete for 14 trophies, including Champion Australian Beer and Champion International Beer, as well as 24 category trophies. The cider and perry category, introduced in 2025, continues this year, with awards including Best Cider or Perry and Champion Cider or Perry Producer.
The 2026 awards align with the latest US Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines, introducing eight new beer styles and updating existing classes. The design awards also return, with a new Tap Decal Design class and revised judging criteria developed in consultation with the design judging panel. Details of the new and updated classes are available on the Melbourne Royal website.
“The Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in beer and cider production along with design innovation,” says Kirrily Waldhorn, senior manager F&B awards at Melbourne Royal.
“We’re proud to provide brewers and cider makers worldwide with a platform to showcase and celebrate their craft whilst benchmarking their products against the best in the industry.”
Entries close on 13 March, and judging will take place from 5-8 May, culminating with the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards Trophy Presentation Dinner on 14 May at Victoria Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds.