Cricket, Rugby, Soccer and Darts...but wait now there is the next step in yet another annual gauntlet being thrown down between the Aussies and the Poms, and it's all about BEER - introducing the best brewer awards.
Every year hundreds of brewers enter the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) in a bid to win the title of best beer in the world.
In 2009, a record 1140 entrants - including 22 UK-based brewers - joined the "global battle for beer supremacy'', AIBA says.
This year the competition is hotting up with AIBA encouraging more brewers from the UK to join in.
The increasing popularity of ales - a specialty of the British brewers - puts them in pole position, organisers say.
"Figures from the 2009 Awards reflect some of the biggest trends in the UK beer market, notably the rise of smaller breweries and the increasing popularity of ales, with more than half of entries submitted in the ale category,'' organisers said in a statement.
Beers will be judged in several different categories, including champion large and small breweries, champion ales, lagers and stouts, champion hybrid beer, the new champion gluten free beer and the coveted grand champion exhibitor award.
"Easily of an equal standard to similar competitions in the UK and US, the AIBA provide consumers and industry with a benchmark of brewing excellence, thanks to the inclusion of a broad representative of beers from around the world, and a high standard of excellence across the board,'' said 2004 AIBA judge and former Bass North Ltd Director Anthony Duckworth.
Entries close on January 29 with a gala awards presentation to be held in Melbourne on May 20.
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