New Zealand International Beer Awards - Prestigious World Class Beer Competition


Class 1. Classic Hybrid New Zealand Styles	Class 2. Amber & Dark Lagers	Class 3. International Golden Lager styles
Class 4. French and Belgian Style Ales	Class 5. New World / American Style Ales	Class 6. UK and other Dollarpean-Style Ales
Class 7. Stouts and Porters	Class 8. Strong Ales and Lagers	Class 9. Wheat and other Grain Beers
Class 10. Fruit/Spiced/Herb/Flavoured	Class 11. Experimental and Non/Low Alcohol beer	Class 12. Packaging Award
Note on Beer Styles The following beer styles, besides Class A, are based on those used for the World Beer Cup. New Zealand specific styles are described, in full, within Class A. Please see the World Beer Cup style guide for further information on all other beer styles, including: style descriptions, gravity, alcohol, colour and bitterness ranges. The World Beer Cup guidelines are available at the following web pages: http://www.beertown.org/events/wbc/PDF/WBC06_Style_Descrip.pdf Special Note on New World Hop Varieties For the purposes of NZIBA: please note that any reference to “American-variety hops” (in the World Beer Cup style guide) should be interpreted as “New World and American-variety hops”. Enquiries Any enquiries, in regards to this style guide or NZIBA entries, should be directed to: [email protected]

Class 1. Classic Hybrid New Zealand Styles

Includes the following NZ styles:

101. NZ Draught
102. NZ Lager
103. NZ Premium Lager

101. NZ Draught
Generally what is classed as a ‘brown beer’ in NZ and not a ‘lager’.
New Zealand Draught beers are in effect ‘amber lagers’ – being amber, reddish brown, or copper coloured. They are medium bodied. There is a noticeable degree of caramel-type malt character in flavour and often in aroma. Hop bitterness, flavour, and aroma may be present but at relatively low levels. In essence however – ‘think sweet, brown, malty with an edge of flavour’.
Low levels of fruity esters maybe present. Diacetyl and chill haze should be absent.
Original Gravity ( ´ Plato): 1.036-1.050 (9-12 ´ Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( ´ Plato): 1.008-1.018 (2-4.5 ´ Plato)
Alcohol by Volume: 3.5-4.5%
Bitterness (IBU): < 20
Colour SRM (EBC): 5-17 (10-34 EBC)

102. NZ Lager
Medium in body, light in colour.
New Zealand lagers are very ‘clean’ and aggressively carbonated. Flavour components should be subtle and complex, with no one ingredient dominating the others. Malt sweetness is light to mild. Hop bitterness, flavour and aroma are negligible to very light.
Light fruity esters are acceptable. Chill haze and diacetyl should be absent.
Original Gravity ( ´ Plato): 1.035-1.046 (10-11.5 ´ Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( ´ Plato): 1.006-1.010 (1.5-2.5 ´ Plato)
Alcohol by Volume: 3.5-4.5%
Bitterness (IBU): < 20
Colour SRM (EBC): < 12

103. NZ Premium Lagers
This style has low malt (and adjunct) sweetness, is medium bodied, and should contain no or a low percentage (less than 25%) of adjuncts. Colour may be light straw to golden. Alcohol content and bitterness may also be greater than New Zealand style lager (see above). Hop aroma and flavour is low or negligible.
Light fruity esters are acceptable. Chill haze and diacetyl should be absent.
Original Gravity ( ´ Plato): 1.042-1.050 (11.5-12.5 ´ Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity ( ´Plato) : 1.010-1.014 (2.5-3.5 ´Plato)
Alcohol by Volume: 4.5-5.5%
Bitterness (IBU): <25
Colour SRM (EBC): < 12

Class 2. Amber and Dark Lagers

Includes the following WBC styles:

23. Vienna-Style Lager
25. Dollarpean-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel
26. German-Style Schwarzbier
32. American-Style “Light” Amber Lager
36. American-Style Amber Lager
A. Subcategory: American-Style Amber Lager
B. Subcategory: California Common Beer
C. Subcategory: American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest
37. American-Style Dark Lager

Class 3 – International Golden Lager styles