COEDO named Champion Brewery at Australia's international beer awards

COEDO BREWERY, a craft brewery in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, has been awarded the “Champion Medium International Brewery” trophy at the 2026 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA). The award goes to the one medium-sized brewery from outside Australia with the highest overall results. Kawagoe is a castle town in Saitama, the prefecture that borders Tokyo to the north-west, and COEDO, named after the town, is one of Japan’s best-known craft beer brands.

Recognition among 2,221 entries

The AIBA is one of the largest beer competitions in the world. In 2026 it received 2,221 entries from Australia and abroad, and 84 judges spent four days assessing more than 40,000 litres of beer. The results were announced on 14 May. The overall top honours of the competition are the two trophies “Champion Australian Beer” and “Champion International Beer”, but COEDO built up results across the beers it entered and came out on top in the brewery-level ranking. According to the brewery, the judging recognised its technical soundness and the balance of its flavours. COEDO keeps entering international competitions to have its quality checked by outside eyes and to use the feedback to improve its brewing.

Gold for Marihana, a session IPA

Six beers won awards, with gold going to “Marihana”. A session IPA is a style designed to keep the hoppy aroma of an IPA while holding down the alcohol content, so that it is light and easy to drink. Silver went to two beers: “Shiro”, a Hefeweizen, the traditional German wheat beer, and “Iroha”, a West Coast IPA with a pronounced bitterness. Bronze went to three beers: “Ruri”, a pilsner; “Kyara”, an IPL (India Pale Lager), which uses lager yeast but is hopped like an IPA; and “Jasmin Saison”, a draught-only beer brewed in collaboration with the Tokyo beer hall “Tokyo Beer Hall & Beer Terrace 14”. A broad range of beers was recognised together: styles from Germany, the Czech Republic, the American West Coast and Belgium, including several of European origin.

How to enjoy them in Europe

What is interesting about this result is that a Japanese brewery has been recognised in styles that are familiar to European readers. If you come across COEDO in a specialist shop for Japanese beer or in an Asian grocery, try it alongside your local beers. Setting Shiro next to a Bavarian Weissbier, or Ruri next to a Czech or German pilsner, shows clearly how a Japanese brewer interprets the style. Marihana is modest in alcohol, so it can be enjoyed slowly with a meal. It goes naturally with light Japanese dishes such as yakitori and tempura, and should also pair easily with everyday fish dishes.