Dainton scores Aussie craft beer gong

A Porter that tastes like a chocolate cigar has been judged the best beer from an Australian independent brewery for 2017.

The Dainton Family Brewery’s Cherrywood Smoked Baltic Porter won the trophy in the Porter Stout category at the Champion Australian Craft Beer awards in Adelaide.

And the head judges deemed it was the best beer in show – only a couple of months since it was first release.

It is again a sign of the choice now available to beer drinkers that a Porter could be deemed the best craft beer in the land.

However, it must be noted that other recognised craft breweries tied to beer conglomerates, such as Little Creatures (Lion), Matilda Bay (CUB) and Mountain Goat (Asahi), were not permitted to enter the awards following their expulsion from the old Craft Beer Industry Association.

Other best-in-category award winners were: Champion Pale Ale, Philter Brewing’s XPA; Champion Amber Dark Ale, Eagle Bay Brewing Company’s Black IPA; Champion Wheat, Feral Brewing Co’s Watermelon Warhead; Champion Specialty Beer, Rocks Brewing Co’s Conviction Pale Ale; Champion Lager, Australian Beer Company’s Yenda Crisp Lager; Champion IPA, Pirate Life’s Mosaic IPA; and Champion French & Belgian Styles to Black Font Brewhouse’s Organic Saison de Ville.

Dainton Family Brewing is situated near Frankston on the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay and has only been operating for a few years.

4 Pines Brewing Co was named Champion Brewery – Large; Fixation Brewing Co was named Champion Brewery – Medium; and Wheaty Brewing Corps was named Champion Brewery – Small.

The Service to Craft Beer Awards gong went to Blair Hayden from the Lord Nelson Brewery.