Would you enter your beer in a competition which failed to award a single gold medal from among 150-odd entries last year? Seems like quite a few local breweries chose not to, with the 2010 Sydney Royal Beer Competition attracting a modest 85 entries.

To be fair, the gold standard is set marginally higher at the Sydney show, compared to other similar competitions – 90 points out of 100, compared to 17.5 points out of 20 at the likes of the Australian International Beer Awards and the Perth Royal Beer Competition.

Those who chose to stay away and save their entry fees might have regretted it because this year’s SRBC was a veritable bonanza with 10 gold medals awarded.

“Across the board, the beers this year were outstanding,” said Brad Rogers, who headed the lager judging panel. “They were light years ahead of last year and it shows that there are lots of good beers out there.”

Rogers noted that while the wheat beer category was “a bit disappointing”, the overall quality of lagers was much higher than previously.

It is apparent that certain breweries that regularly enter the SRBC – now in its fourth year – consistently win major medals and many beers that won silver last year, improved enough to take gold medals in this year’s competition.

“Those who entered obviously see the value in winning awards,” Rogers said. “Especially breweries with a venue, where they can put their medals on display and generate a bit of PR.”

Perennial award-winners Redoak Brewery and Matilda Bay Brewing carried off the grand champion gongs for bottled and draught beer, respectively, with Redoak IPA and Matilda Bay Alpha Pale Ale; while, among the relative new-comers, 4 Pines Brewing took out gold for their draught Kolsch.

For Matilda Bay head brewer Scott Vincent, it was a case of matching the grand champion result for Alpha Pale Ale won in 2008 before he joined the company. Matilda Bay Bohemian Pilsner also won gold in its category.

“You also get a bit nervous when you put your ‘babies’ out there to see if people like them,” Vincent said. “We were very happy with the [Alpha Pale Ale] result but I was most chuffed with the Bohemian Pilsner gold. We’ve tweaked a few things with the malt and extended the boil time and I’m very pleased with the result.”

Apart from the Melbourne-based Matilda Bay outfit and a handful of other interstate breweries, this year’s entries came mainly from NSW craft breweries and shows that the local industry is in pretty good shape. While the big breweries seemed content to sit on the sidelines this year, hopefully the high quality of this year’s competition might persuade a few of them to try their luck next year.

Willie Simpson was a judge at the Sydney Royal Beer Competition.

2010 SRBC GOLD MEDALS

BOTTLED BEER CATEGORY:

ST ARNOU PILSNER

St Arnou, NSW

REDOAK RAUCH

Redoak Brewery, NSW

REDOAK IPA

Redoak Brewery, NSW

MATILDA BAY ALPHA PALE ALE (GARAGE RESERVE)

Matilda Bay Brewing, Victoria

REDOAK OATMEAL STOUT

Redoak Brewery, NSW

MAD ABBOT TRIPEL

Little Brewing Company, NSW

GRAND CHAMPION BOTTLED BEER:

REDOAK IPA

DRAUGHT BEER CATEGORY:

MOO PILSNER

Moo Brew, Tasmania

MATILDA BAY BOHEMIAN PILSNER

Matilda Bay Brewing, Victoria

4 PINES KOLSCH

4 Pines Brewing Company, NSW

MATILDA BAY ALPHA PALE ALE GARAGE RESERVE

Matilda Bay Brewing, Victoria

GRAND CHAMPION DRAUGHT BEER:

MATILDA BAY ALPHA PALE ALE (GARAGE RESERVE)