The Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards (RABCA) was established in 1844. This year, the 10 trophies were dominated by home state heroes, with more than 200 medals handed out to breweries across Australia.
Deep Elite Brewing’s Fractured Traveller recently took out Champion IPA, proudly sponsored by HPA. The WA outfit is owned and operated by retired Royal Australian Submariners and strives to use local ingredients where possible. After giving them some time to celebrate their awards, we got in touch with Head Brewer and Owner Brydon Maslin to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their beers.
Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2026 Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards – Beer. You went home with the trophy for Champion IPA and the Simon Fahey Trophy for best new exhibitor. What does this recognition mean to you?
A: To us, this has been some recognition of the hard work and effort the entire team has put into creating and distributing our product, and shows us that maybe we could be on the right track and it’s not just us that like our beers.
Q: You also earned a slew of medals, including 1 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze. What’s the secret to making award-winning beers across multiple categories?
A: Listening to feedback and adjusting recipes where needed. Also, not pigeonholing ourselves into one area or style.
Q: Of all your beers that medalled, which 3 mean the most and why?
A: Definitely Fractured Traveller, easily the beer we’ve worked the hardest to improve. It’s a nod to navy days as Columbus was a mariner, hence the name. Next probably The Offering, as it was our first attempt at such a big, bold beer with adjuncts and ageing on fermenter additions. Next would be Pitmaster Pale, as we worked hard to get this one right, and it was a collab with one of our favourite restaurants and local WA brewers, Scene Brewing.
Q: On the journey from homebrewer to award winners, what’s the biggest milestone you’ve celebrated?
A: It’s likely the RABACA awards, as it’s the first trophy I’ve won for a beer that I’ve created and brewed myself.
Q: Do you have a favourite Aussie hop?
A: At the moment, from HPA it would be Ella, as we’ve been using it a lot in pilot brews. From other local hop farms, I’m loving Azure from Ryefield and Cluster from Margaret River Hops.
