Some of the country’s best venues, operators and liquor suppliers have been recognised as on-premise finalists in this year’s Australian Liquor Industry Awards (ALIA).

The Intermedia Group’s hotel and liquor publications, including Australian Hotelier, The Shout, National Liquor News and bars&clubs, present the awards annually with the program this year culminating on 21 October at Randwick Racecourse Ballroom in Sydney.

The event attracts over 700 members of the liquor and hospitality industry, and is judged by a panel of over 50 industry professionals.

The awards recognise the best performing brands, venues, staff and retailers in the industry, with categories including Best Bar, Best Hotel Food, Bar Team of the Year and Supplier of the Year. 2015 has seen the introduction of a number of new categories, including Best Bar Food Menu, Bar Group Operator of the Year, Best Beer List, Best Wine List and Beck Cocktail List.

The complete list of on-premise finalists can be seen below.

Best Renovation of the Year

  • Village Inn, Sydney, NSW
  • Golden Sheaf, Sydney, NSW
  • Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff,  NSW
  • Bat & Ball Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Palisade Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • The Rochester Hotel, Fitzroy, Victoria
  • The Unley, Parkside, SA
  • The Lincoln, Melbourne, Vic

Best New Bar

  • Dominion League, Perth, Western Australia
  • This Must Be The Place, Sydney, NSW
  • Union Electric, Melbourne
  • Haines & Co, Adelaide, SA
  • Goros, Sydney, NSW
  • Heartbreaker, Melbourne, Vic
  • Heya, Brisbane, QLD
  • Bad Frankie, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Up on Constance, Brisbane, Qld
  • Maker, Brisbane, Qld

Best Sports Venue

  • The Sugarmill, Sydney, NSW
  • Golden Sheaf, Sydney, NSW
  • Sporting Globe, Richmond, Victoria
  • Royal Oak Double Bay, Sydney, NSW 
  • The Game, Perth, WA 
  • Pig N Whistle Riverside, Brisbane, QLD 
  • Arkaba Hotel Adelaide SA
  • The Caxton, Brisbane, QLD
  • The Pineapple Hotel, Brisbane, QLD 
  • Ivanhoe Hotel, Sydney, NSW

Best Gaming Venue

  • The Sugarmill, Sydney, NSW
  • Albion Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Criterion hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • The Colmslie Hotel, Brisbane, Queensland
  • The Star, Pyrmont, NSW
  • Regatta Hotel, Brisbane, Queensland
  • Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff, NSW
  • Eastwood Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Crown Casino, Melbourne, Vic
  • Tankerville Arms, Fitzroy, VIC

Best Hotel Food

  • The Animal at The Newtown Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Lallah Rook, Perth, Western Australia
  • Clock Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • The Boulevard, Perth, WA
  • The Lincoln, Carlton, Vic
  • The Last Jar, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Four in Hand, Sydney, NSW
  • Staler & Waldorf, Brisbane, QLD
  • Collaroy Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • The Morrison Oyster Bar, Sydney, NSW

Best Bar Food

  • Bloodhound, Brisbane, Queensland
  • The Rook, Sydney, NSW
  • Bobeche, Perth, Western Australia
  • Miss Moneypenny's, Noosa, Queensland
  • Heya, Brisbane, QLD
  • Up on Constance, Brisbane, Qld
  • Varnish on King, Perth, WA
  • SoCal Neutral Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • Jungle Boy, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Opera Bar, Circular Quay, NSW

Bar Manager of the Year

  • Cristiano Beretta, The Rook, Sydney, NSW
  • Joe Sinagra, Bobeche, Perth, Western Australia
  • Adrien Buisson, Miss Moneypenny's, Noosa, Queensland
  • Jeremy Shipley, Solotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Ryan Lane, The Gresham, Brisbane, QLD
  • Toby Hiscox, O Bar and Dining, Sydney, NSW
  • Scott Martin, Chinderah Tavern, Chinderah, NSW
  • Serena O'Callaghan, Jungle Boy, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Lachlan Sturrock, Applejack Hospitality, Sydney, NSW
  • Bianca Harrison, Up on Constance, Brisbane, Qld

Bar Team of the Year

  • The Rook, Sydney, NSW
  • The Lobo Plantation, Sydney
  • Miss Moneypenny's, Noosa, Queensland
  • The Gresham, Brisbane, Qld
  • SoCal, Sydney, NSW
  • The Black Pearl, Melbourne
  • The Barber Shop, Sydney, NSW
  • Varnish on King, Perth, WA
  • Eau De Vie, Melbourne, Victoria
  • This Must Be The Place, Sydney, NSW

Best Draught Product

  • Young Henrys Real Ale
  • Asahi
  • Carlton Draught 
  • Little Creatures Pale Ale
  • Peroni
  • Coopers Pale Ale
  • Fortitude Brewing Golden Ale
  • Stone & Wood Pacific Ale
  • James Squires 150 lashes
  • Fat Yak

Best On-Premise Spirit/Liqueur

  • Ketel One
  • Midori
  • Bacardi
  • Campari
  • Buffalo Trace
  • Fireball
  • Four Pillars Gin
  • Sailor Jerry
  • Tanqueray
  • Talisker

Best Mixer

  • Little Drippa
  • Fever Tree Tonic
  • CAPI
  • Quina Fina Tonic Water
  • Wimmers
  • Bundaberg Ginger beer
  • Coca Cola
  • Cascade Dry Ginger Ale
  • Red Bull
  • East Imperial Tonic

Best Beer List

  • Five Bar, Perth, Western Australia
  • Uncle Hops, Sydney, NSW
  • The Newtown Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • The Winston, Hobart, Tasmania
  • Local Taphouse, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Beer DeLuxe Federation Square, Melbourne, VIC
  • DTC, Perth, WA
  • Lord Nelson, Sydney, NSW
  • Super whatnot, Brisbane, Queensland
  • Royal Albert, Sydney, NSW

Best Wine List

  • The Winery, Sydney, NSW
  • Lallah Rook, Perth, Western Australia
  • Opera Bar, Sydney, NSW
  • The Butler Potts Point, Sydney, NSW
  • Varnish on King, Perth, WA
  • Gin Palace, Melbourne, Vic
  • Biota, Bowral, New South Wales
  • The Gresham, Brisbane, QLD
  • Up On Constance, Brisbane, QLD
  • The Lobo Plantation, Sydney, NSW

Best Cocktail List

  • The Loft, Sydney, NSW
  • Bobeche, Perth, Western Australia
  • Miss Moneypenny's, Noosa, Queensland
  • The Gresham, Brisbane, Qld
  • Opera Bar, Sydney, NSW
  • Eau De Vie, Melbourne, Victoria
  • The Butler Potts Point, Sydney, NSW
  • The Barber Shop, Sydney, NSW
  • This Must Be The Place, Sydney, NSW
  • The Black Pearl, Melbourne, Victoria

Bartender of the Year

  • Rollo Anderson, The Rook, Sydney, NSW
  • Jack Sotti, Boilermaker House, Melbourne, Vic
  • Adrien Buisson, Miss Moneypenny's, Noosa, Queensland
  • James Russell, The Winery, Sydney, NSW
  • Ethan Hertz, Up on Constance, Brisbane, Qld
  • Paige Aubort, The Lobo Plantation, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Tom Pigott, Bank Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Allisa Gabriel, The Manhattan Line Press Club, Brisbane, QLD
  • Will Sleeman, The Black Pearl, Melbourne, VIC
  • James Irvine, The Baxter Inn, Sydney, NSW

Publican of the Year

  • Dom Whitton, Venue: Clock Hotel, City: Sydney, State: NSW
  • Kieran Fitzmichael, Venue: The Catfish, City: Melbourne, State: VIC
  • Ballingarry Pty Ltd, Subiaco Hotel, Subiaco, WA
  • Leeroy Peterson, The Village Inn, Sydney
  • Ed Hardy, Terminus, Fitzroy, Victoria
  • Fraser Short, Watsons Bay Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Statler and Waldorf, Brisbane, QLD
  • Jake Toivenen, Bank Hotel

Bar of the Year

  • The Rook, Sydney, NSW
  • Lallah Rook, Perth, Western Australia
  • Miss Moneypenny's, Noosa, Queensland
  • Opera Bar, Sydney, NSW
  • Black Pearl, Melbourne, Vic
  • The Gresham, Brisbane, QLD
  • Up on Constance, Brisbane, Qld
  • Varnish on King, Perth, WA
  • Eau de Vie, Melbourne, Vic
  • The Barber Shop, Sydney, NSW

Hotel of the Year

  • Newtown Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • The Rochester Hotel, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Statler and Waldorf, Brisbane, Queensland
  • Clock Hotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Coogee Pavillion, Sydney, NSW
  • The Terminus, Abbotsford, Victoria
  • Flying Scotsman, Perth, WA
  • The Collaroy, Sydney, NSW
  • The Oaks Hotel, Neutral Bay, NSW
  • Rose Hotel, Fitzroy, VIC

Hotel Group Operator of the Year

  • Keystone Group, Sydney, NSW
  • Solotel, Sydney, NSW
  • Merivale, Sydney, NSW
  • W. Short Hotel Group, Sydney, NSW
  • Moubment Group, City: Brisbane, State: Queensland
  • The Collective Establishments, VIC
  • Gallagher Hotels, Sydney, NSW
  • Waugh Group, Sydney, NSW

Bar Group Operator of the Year

  • The Swillhouse Group, Sydney, NSW
  • Bread and Circuses, Perth, Western Australia
  • Andrew Baturo (Gresham, Heya, Popolo, Libertine), Brisbane, Qld
  • The Two Bit Group, Perth, WA
  • Michael Madrusan (The Everleigh & Heartbreaker Bar), Melbourne, Vic
  • Hamish Goontilleke (The Rum Diary, G&Tea), Melbourne, VIC
  • Applejack Hospitality, Sydney, NSW
  • The Barrelhouse Group, Sydney, NSW

On-premise Liquor Supplier of the Year

  • Asahi Premium Beverages
  • Diageo
  • Think Spirits
  • Pernod Ricard
  • CUB
  • Campari
  • Premium Beverages
  • Vanguard
  • Bacardi Lion
  • CCA/Beam Suntory
  • SouthTrade
  • Lion

For more information about ALIA, click here

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