The 2024 New World Beer & Cider Awards are now in progress, with a panel of expert judges set to taste test the latest trends in beer and cider. Over 600 brews have been submitted by around 100 local and international beverage makers. These include traditional ales, lagers, stouts, and newer trends like non-alcoholic, low carb, and hazy brews.
Michael Donaldson, a beer writer and the chair of the judging panel since 2016, says that the competition entries often reflect what’s popular in supermarkets and home fridges. He notes that low carb beer, which grew in sales by over a third in the year leading up to November 2022, is the fastest-growing trend this year. As a result, the awards have created a dedicated category for low carb beers.
The judges are also seeing an increase in low and no-alcohol beers and ciders, with around seven percent of the entries falling into this category. Donaldson notes that there has been a sevenfold increase in the consumption of these types of beers from 2019 to 2022.
Despite some critics, hazy beers are still popular, making up about a quarter of craft beer sales in Foodstuffs stores in the North Island. In the competition, hazy beers are the most entered style, with over 120 to be judged.
The 28-member independent judging panel, led by Donaldson and Deputy Chair Kelly Ryan, will evaluate each entry based on technical excellence, balance, mouthfeel, and drinkability. The top 30 entries will be featured in a ‘must-try’ list available in New World stores nationwide. Results will be announced in May.
