THE GIST
Prancing Pony Brewery of Totness, South Australia has taken home gold for its India Red Ale at the UK’s International Beer Challenge. The 7.9% ABV beer was awarded the trophy for the best ale above 5% ABV.
WHY IT MATTERS
Winning a high-profile award like this is a strong way for a brewery to gain immediate attention. In this case, Prancing Pony’s Red IPA won out over stiff competition from entrants in the UK, U.S., and across Europe. Other golds were handed out to the likes of the UK’s Tiny Rebel and Beavertown, Belgium’s Brouwerij Huyghe for Delerium Tremens, and Boston Beer Company (who took home four).
An Australian brewery taking home a gold against such strong international competition is a big deal. Australia’s craft beer industry has often lived in the shadow of its neighbor, New Zealand, and has not shone as brightly on the world stage as it perhaps could. Prancing Pony’s win here will certainly help thrust Aussie craft into the international limelight.
The win comes just as Prancing Pony has expanded to a 30HL (25.5bbl) Braukon brewhouse, increasing the brewery’s capacity by 20 times. Prancing Pony is already exporting to the UK, Hong Kong, Germany, and Singapore. With this extra capacity and a new medal under its belt, you can bet the brewery will have its eyes on other lucrative export markets.
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—Matthew Curtis