At the 2025 Royal Queensland Beer Awards (RQBA), Best Ginger Beer will be introduced as a new award category, with the support of Buderim Ginger.
Advisory Committee Chairperson and Judge Steve Henderson said: “We’re expecting quite a few Queensland-based entries, however the class is open to breweries right across Australia so we’re hoping to see ginger beers from many different locations entered.
“The style guidelines for the brewed ginger beer class have been written especially for this competition and as long as it’s a brewed product and is alcoholic it will be eligible to enter.”
Non-alcoholic beverages will also be eligible to enter the competition, with a new Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage category also being introduced.
The winner of the Grand Champion Beer of Show will take home a $5,000 Lion bursary. The competition will also select an emerging Queensland brewer to be crowned The Star Brisbane Emerging Brewer of the Year, with their beers to be sold at The Star Brisbane.
RQBA entry numbers have increased since 2019 when the ceremony was restructured, with the ginger beer category expected to see an increase of brewers entering the competition.
“We’re the first Australian beer competition of the calendar year and I think a lot of breweries will want to see how their products compare by having them evaluated by our talented judges, so I do expect the number of entries to increase again,’’ Henderson said.
Entries close January 31 2025. Brewers can enter at www.rqa.com.au/competitions/beer-awards