Entries Open
Early bird entry fee R990 excluding VAT (approximately USD76 or EUR66) from 16 March until 7 June 2021
Beer, Cider and Mead Awards
Why should producers of beer, cider or mead enter The Aurora International Taste Challenge?
Winners of The Aurora International Taste Challenge will enjoy bragging rights and display their award artwork in their tasting room, in email signatures, on the product itself as well as digital and print media, royalty-free.
Superior products will be granted Gold and Double Gold status, to reward excellent quality. Exceptional products that exceed expectations will be eligible for trophy awards. Besides the normal technical criteria used during judging, wow factor and the reading on the judge’s hedonic scale of enjoyment will be taken into account. The winners will be determined on the basis of score, and the amount of winners will not be limited to three per category.
Winning producers will be able to display award artwork on the product itself, in digital media, and in print media for a period of one year from when the awards are granted. Winners will receive a digital award artwork kit with all the permutations of the artwork related to the award received, and will be able to use the artwork subject to a non-exclusive licence agreement. No royalties are charged.
Besides beer, cider and mead, bottled water and other drinks will also be judged.
Stickers for gold and double gold awards will also be available for purchase for the winners. A one-time print run will be done, and extra stickers will be available on a first come, first served basis. You do not have to order stickers.
Here is a close approximation of what the 25 x 25 mm stickers look like.
Winning producers will be able to display award artwork on the product itself, in digital media, and in print media for a period of one year from when the awards are granted. Winners will receive a digital award artwork kit with all the permutations of the artwork related to the award received, and will be able to use the artwork subject to a non-exclusive licence agreement. No royalties are charged.
You are welcome to watch the short clip below regarding the 2020 event.
Here are some examples of the award artwork. Colours can be adjusted to suit packaging. No physical trophies or awards are awarded.
The award artwork can be used where very little space as available, and artwork with detail more appropriate to smaller areas is available.
By winning an award you will make sure that your product is discovered, or rediscovered in a blind tasting, without bias or prejudice.
About the beer, cider and mead awards
This year The Aurora International Taste Challenge will be held in South Africa, and will have some of the top sommeliers judging beer and cider from around the world. The goal is to identify and award the best-tasting beers, ciders and meads available to consumers.
While many consumers are brand-loyal, most would choose an alternative if they had access to fair product ratings. The Aurora International Taste Challenge will grant merit and trophy awards to exceptional products readily-available worldwide. We are proud to be setting new quality standards in the food and drinks industry.
Are you top of the Hops? Are you the big Apple? An award will instantly set you apart.
Timeline for 2021 event
Regular entry fees
Early bird entry price ends, and the regular entry fee of R1300 excluding VAT (approximately USD96 or EUR84) applies from 8 June to 2 August 2021
Late entry fees
Late entry fee of R1440 excluding VAT (approximately USD115 or EUR101) applies from 4 August to final close on 10 August 2021
Final close of entries
Final entries close
Delivery of samples
Final delivery of samples to Stellenbosch, South Africa
Entry Fees and dates
- 16 March 2021 – Entries open and the Early Bird special is R995 excluding VAT (approximately USD76 or EUR66) per entry.
- 8 June 2021 – Normal entry fee is R1300 excluding VAT (approximately USD96 or EUR84) after this date.
- 3 August 2021 – Late entries can be submitted for R1550 excluding VAT (approximately USD115 or EUR101) after this date.
- 10 August 2021 – Entries close
Stickers will be available to the winners at R330 excluding VAT per 1000. There will be only one print run, and extra stickers will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Beer, cider and mead awards information
What sets one beer, cider or mead apart from another?
Products will be judged on aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and overall impression using a proprietary scoring system.
Products are tasted blind, and scored on their own merit. Judges score the products on their own in silence, without conferring with other judges.
The judge’s personal preference is not taken into account.
Can I use this award artwork for all the brands that this product is produced under?
The award artwork may only be used for the particular brand that was entered. If the company markets the exact same product under different brand names, additional non-exclusive licences will be granted to be used for the additional brands the product is sold under, at the price of the original entry fee.
Who will be judging the competition?
Products will be judged by sommeliers who live and breathe drinks for a living, and who have an intimate knowledge of taste.
Are there any royalties involved?
No royalties are payable.
An electronic certificate will be emailed to winning participants. This will be accompanied by a non-exclusive license agreement that, after being signed by both parties and dependent on adherence to the stipulations of the agreement, will give the winners a non-exclusive licence to make use of the digital award artwork kit, with various logos and award artwork on their product, in email signatures, digital and in print media for a period of one year from the time the awards are announced. No physical trophies or awards are awarded.
For how long can I use the award artwork?
The award artwork may be used on the specific product and brand that was awarded, subject to non-exclusive licence agreement signed by both parties, for a period of one year, subject to the terms of the non-exclusive license agreement.
How many samples do I have to send?
Each entry requires a minimum of 6 containers comprising a minimum combined volume of 1500ml, and 2 containers for samples bigger than 500ml. These samples need to be in their final bottled format, and no tank samples are allowed. No kegs are allowed.
Exceptional products will be eligible for trophy awards in the following categories:
Cider and mead entries will be organised as follows:
-
- Alcohol level
- Sugar content
- Carbonation level
- Style
- Flavoured or unflavoured
Beer entries will be organised as follows:
-
- Alcohol level
- Style
- Flavoured or not
What awards are awarded?
Superior products will be granted Gold and Double Gold awards, to award products with excellent taste. These producers will be able to display this award artwork on the product itself, in digital and in print media for a period of one year from when the awards are granted, as long as the quality of the product does not change from that of the original sample, and dependent on the terms of a non-exclusive licence agreement signed by both parties.
Trophy awards will also be awarded to products that really stand out in their special area.
FAQs regarding sample delivery
Where do the samples need to be sent?
Participants may use any courier, but please ensure that samples are delivered to:
The Aurora International Taste Challenge
C/o Celia Gilloway
The Conference Centre
Koelenhof Road
Stellenbosch
South Africa
GPS coordinates: – 33 82’ 66 21 S / 18 79” 55 15 W
Samples must be delivered between 9:00 and 16:00 on August 16th and 17th, 2021.
Person receiving samples: Celia Gilloway
Email: celia@eventsbycelia.com
Tel: 082 782 1977
We have partnered with DHL to allow for timely delivery. When making use of DHL, please ensure you send your samples by 16 July 2021, to: DHL Paarl, 35 Zandwyk Park, Old Paarl Road, Paarl, South Africa, for the attention of: “The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. You can contact Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on 021 872 4717. DHL will consolidate the samples to make sure they are delivered on time.
Products from outside South Africa need the necessary time to clear customs. Also add the wording: “Samples of no commercial value – for attention The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. Contact Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 for more details.
Products that are sent that have to maintain the cold chain, need to be packed accordingly, and the DHL overnight service can be used.
Late entries might not be accepted.
For additional information contact Sanet van Heerden at hello@aurorachallenge.com. This competition is run by the Awards Show (Pty) Ltd.
With regards to DHL and overnight delivery, how certain can I be that the sample receives the necessary urgency to deliver on time?
When making use of DHL, please ensure you send your samples to DHL Paarl, 35 Zandwyk Park, Old Paarl Road, Paarl, South Africa, for the attention of: “The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. Make sure you arrange with Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 to make sure everything will be in order.
Does taxes and custom fees only relate to imports?
Only samples send from outside of South Africa will accrue taxes, clearance and customs fees.
As you have partnered with DHL, do entrants get a reduced-price option?
Because DHL consolidates deliveries, the prices will be reduced. Make sure you arrange with Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 to get the necessary detail.
Overnight deliveries and deliveries from outside of South Africa will be at normal DHL rates.
Will you have a show for people / companies to attend if they are not entering the competition?
The Aurora International Taste Challenge is not a trade show or public event. Only the organisers and judges are present.
There is also no prize giving ceremony or trade / public tasting afterwards.
Rules Particular to Beer and Cider
- Samples may not be past their sell by date.
- Entries must be commercially available.
- All cost related to delivery, including customs fees and taxes etc. are for the participant’s expense.
- Only commercially-operating producers, which abide by the food laws of the country of origin, may enter.
- Winners will be asked to supply the competition with high resolution pack shots for use on its website, and in marketing material. By entering this competition the participant grants The Aurora International Taste Challenge unlimited use of these images.
- Be sure to securely wrap entries with bubble wrap, or similar to secure your entries against breakage. Please wrap your final package in a plastic bag and make it leak proof and to prevent leakage and damage to other products. Label samples as fragile.
- Specialised packaging material, or any other packaging material will not be returned. Specialised packaging material can greatly increase to final quality and viability of the sample being judged.
- If Styrofoam peanuts are used for packaging, please secure them in a container that will not cause leakage or spillage of the packaging material.
- International entries must take the necessary precautions to prevent breakage and hold-ups in customs, and are encouraged to use local agents to deliver samples.
- If more than one box of samples are delivered, please mark boxes as “Box 1 of 5”, “Box 2 of 5” etc.
- After winners are announced, no additional samples are needed.
