Exclusive benefit for BA Export Development Program members
Not a member? Learn more about the Program benefits and fees.
The Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards is the region’s largest annual beer competition and presents a valuable opportunity for American craft brewers to compete on the international stage for recognition. In 2025, the Awards attracted 2,300 entries from 22 countries. American craft brewers won 99 awards, including 14 gold, 29 silver, and 56 bronze medals.
The Brewers Association (BA) Export Development Program (EDP) views international competitions as a key mechanism for generating publicity for the U.S. craft beer industry and assisting EDP subscribers in gaining attention and distribution for their brands in select target markets. Entry fees for up to three beers and a consolidated airfreight shipment to Australia for all Export Development Program members will be covered by the program.
Event Timeline
Entry Registration Open: Tuesday, February 3
Entry Registration Closed: Thursday, March 12 (March 13, Australia)
Deadline for Delivery to the West Coast consolidation warehouse: Monday, April 6
Judging in Melbourne, Australia: Tuesday, May 5 – Friday, May 8
Awards Presentation: Thursday, May 14
Cost
Breweries are responsible for delivering labeled entries to the consolidation point. Entries without competition labels may be rejected by the competition.
The Brewers Association EDP will cover the entry fee for up to three brands (bottles and cans only) per brewery for Export Development Program members. There is no limit on the number of submissions per brewery but each additional brand entered will be subject to the competition’s entry fee requirement. See the below table for costs. Airfreight shipment to Australia will be covered for all EDP member entries.
Note: Payment for entries beyond three will occur during the final registration step.
| Annual Production | Cost Per Additional Entry (after first three) |
|---|---|
| Greater than 25,000 hL/21,304 BBLS | AUD$325 |
| 5,001 hL/4,262 BBLS to 25,000 hL/21,304 BBLS | AUD$295 |
| Up to and including 5,000 hL/4,261 BBLS | AUD$200 |
Registration Instructions
Please read the following registration instructions carefully before proceeding:
- Download and read the 2025 Entry Book.
- Complete the Online Competition Registration.
Instructions for EDP Members: When asked “Do you belong to a National Brewers Association?” select the answer “US Brewers Association Export Development Program Member”. This takes place during “Section 3: Details”.As an EDP member, you will only be asked to pay for entries beyond three. Following registration, you will receive an entry acknowledgment email that includes information for your competition labels. Competition labels must be affixed to each bottle/can before your entries are shipped to the consolidation point. Each entry will have unique registration info.
- Complete the EDP Member Brewery Shipment Registration at the bottom of this page.
- Label your entries before shipping beer. Entries must arrive at the consolidation point no later than April 3. See page 32 of the Entry Book (step 1) for details on labeling.
Beer Volume Requirements for Judging
The number of bottles/cans required for judging depends on the size of the packaging. If it is easier to send a quantity above the minimums below, please do – beers not utilized for judging will be used at media, trade, and consumer events. Please note: The volumes listed below are lower than those published on the competition website and have been approved by the competition organizers.
| Package Size | Quantity Required for Judging |
|---|---|
| 12 oz (355mL) | 12 bottles or cans |
| 16.9 oz (500 mL) | 8 bottles or cans |
| 22 oz (650 mL) | 6 bottles or cans |
| 25 oz (750 mL) | 6 bottles or cans |
Entry Labeling Requirement
In addition to bearing commercial labels, all entries must bear Australian International Beer Awards-issued competition labels. Competition labels will be included in the exhibitor entry confirmation email in PDF format (as an attachment) that will be sent once your entries have been validated and payment received in full. Please review all details under “Labelling of Exhibits” within the Entry Book for further details.
Please note: Entries not bearing competition labels will not be judged. Labels must be affixed before arrival at the consolidation warehouse.
Shipping Registration & Delivery Instructions
Deadline:
All labeled entries must arrive at the consolidation warehouse no later than April 6. Beers arriving after this deadline are not guaranteed inclusion in the consolidated shipment. Shipping early is strongly recommended due to recurring carrier delays.
Before Shipping:
- Request a Transfer PO Number
Email EDPShipping@BrewersAssociation.org to obtain the required transfer PO# for scheduling and labeling. - Prepare Case Labels
Download and complete the required case label. Each label must include:- Brewer Name
- Transfer PO#
- Box/case number and total number of boxes (e.g., 1 of 5, 2 of 5…)
- This is separate from the AIBA competition labels that are provided to you in your entry acknowledgment email following registration completion.
- Document Case Contents
Record the contents of each case. This information will be shared later.
Please ship to the consolidation warehouse in original cases, or in boxes that closely match the original case size. This is required for tight palletization for air shipment.
Do not individually bubble-wrap bottles or cans, and do not pack them loosely in oversized boxes with packing peanuts. Oversized boxes must be opened and repacked to fit on pallets, which is why original-case (or equivalent) packaging is required.
After Shipping
Email EDPShipping@BrewersAssociation.org with:
- Tracking information
- Total number of boxes/cases shipped (even in shipping palletized)
- Contents of each individual case
For palletized deliveries, the carrier must contact the warehouse at least one business day before delivery to schedule an inbound appointment. In the request, provide the name of the brewery and that the shipment is part of the consolidation for the Brewers Association Australia shipment.
Consolidation Warehouse Shipping Address:
Sidekick Delivery – Benicia
Attn: BrewersAssoc/AIBA
5341 Industrial Way, Benicia, CA 94510
Contact:
Phone: (707) 359-7804
Scheduling inbound shipments ca@sidekickdelivery.com
Shipment Registration Form
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