Beer & Cider Competition History

In his 1830 address, the President of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of New South Wales, Sir John Jamison, said:

Every good Colonist must assent to the policy of encouraging brewing beer from malt and hops of the growth of the Colony, not merely from its many agricultural advantages, but also from its constituting a more refreshing and healthful beverage than spirituous liquors.

In a colony known for the excessive drinking habits of its residents, homebrew spirits and imports of atrocious quality were seen to cause very real social and physical ills. Calls for the substitution of hard drink with beer and even wine were commonly heard.

The Agricultural Society had already been encouraging the production of quality beer for some time. Evidence points towards the awarding of a prize for beer as early as 1824 at the Society’s second Show, but by 1826 the records are clear and beer and cider classes are listed for:

• best cask of Peach Cider, not less than twenty gallons, to be presented sound, with the date of its manufacture
• best cask of Apple Cider, made in the Colony, not less than twenty gallons, to be presented sound, with the date and particulars of its manufacture
• best Colonial Beer, not less than a hogshead, with proof, by affidavit, that it contains no other ingredients than barley and hops, of colonial growth

A large silver medal was awarded for each.

When the economic depression of the early 1830s hit, the Society disbanded. It regrouped in the late 1850s but beer and cider classes did not return to the Show until 1870. That year a sub-section of classes called Fermented Drinks was included in a section named ‘Food – Fresh, Preserved, or in Various States of Preservation’. It featured classes for beer, ale and porter, aerated and mineral waters, syrups, cordials, and spirits. Although this sub-section existed until 1906, beer was included infrequently, while cider, and ale and porter classes were consistently shown.

In 1907 the Fermented Drinks competition was incorporated in the Wine section, which became known as ‘Wines, Spirits, Beers, &c’. This section was split into two subsections – one for wines, and one for the rest. The latter included classes for cider, whisky, ale, porter, rum, gin, liqueur, cordials, and other spirits. Competition continued in this vein until 1920 when the section was renamed, becoming simply ‘Wine’. Only classes for wine and brandy were offered until 1941, when cider was added. Cider remained in this section until 1982; then the Wine section became exclusive once more, dedicated to brandy and wine.

Beer’s long absence from the Show from the 1940s onwards reflects the stabilisation of brewing processes and the growing dominance of just a few big breweries in the market. In the 1980s the first pioneer makers of craft beer emerged and from the early 2000s the sector rapidly expanded and matured.

In 2007 a Sydney Royal Beer competition was established under the Fine Foods section banner. Cider was added in 2013, creating the Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show we know today. For producers and brewers, the Show is an outstanding opportunity to benchmark their product against competitors and draw attention to their beverages.