REGISTRATION FOR 2025 IS NOW OPEN
Keep track of important dates for registering your product, delivering samples, judging, and when winners will be announced.
Download the registration worksheet and review submission guidelines, entry fees, & product delivery instructions.
Missed a submission deadline? Curious as to why you should enter, and what a win means? Find your answers and more here.
The Alberta Beverage Awards were launched in 2013 to help identify the very best wines, beers, and spirits available in the dynamic and competitive Alberta beverage marketplace. Since then, the competition has expanded to include mead, sake, fruit wines, RTDs, coolers, premade cocktails, mixers, and more.
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​Beverages are judged in Calgary by some of Alberta’s finest professional palates including buyers, sommeliers, retailers, educators and media influencers. The competition takes place in July with results appearing online and in Culinaire Magazine’s October issue.
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​Prior to the judging, every product is placed into a category and assigned to a flight with like products. The entries are evaluated blind by dedicated wine, beer and spirits panels, and moderated by an experienced panel captain.
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​Beverages deemed superior in the preliminary rounds proceed to the final rounds where the very best are awarded a Best in Class, Gold Medal reserved for only the highest scoring product in a category (or a tie). The top performing, runners-up products in a category may earn a “Judges Selection.”
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Overall, only about one third of total entries will earn an award at the Alberta Beverage Awards, which ensures results are meaningful and only the best will be featured in the results.​
IMPORTANT DATES
REGISTRATION OPENS: APRIL 1, 2025
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REGISTRATION CLOSES: JULY 2, 2025
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PRODUCT SAMPLE DELIVERY DEADLINE: JULY 9, 2025
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JUDGING: JULY 14 - 16, 2025
RESULTS ANNOUNCED TO WINNERS IN EARLY AUGUST
AND PUBLISHED IN THE OCTOBER 2025 ISSUE OF CULINAIRE MAGAZINE.
YOUR RESULTS ARE NOT EMBARGOED IN ANY WAY.
REGISTER YOUR PRODUCTS
DOWNLOAD THE 2025 PRODUCT ENTRY WORKSHEET
To ensure the submission process is a great experience for all of our competitors, we use an Excel-based worksheet, which can be downloaded, filled in, and returned to Linda Garson at linda@culinairemagazine.ca AND Tom Firth at tom@culinairemagazine.ca. Invoices will be sent after registering your products. For secure credit card payments. Please contact Linda Garson: linda@culinairemagazine.ca / 403-870-9802, for e-transfers, cheques etc.
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WINE ENTRIES
For sample purposes, we require three bottles (750 ml or equivalent volume) of wine for judging. Entries are $95 per wine, less any applicable discount. Note: For dessert wine entries, we require only two bottles, which includes wines typically available in small formats (i.e. ice wines).
SPIRITS/LIQUEURS/ ENTRIES
For sample purposes, we require one bottle per entry or equivalent volume of spirits for judging. Entries are $95 per entry, less any applicable discount.
BEER/CIDER/COOLERS/MIXERS/SAKE/MEAD ENTRIES
For sample purposes, we require one six-pack or equivalent volume of beer for judging. Entries are $75 per entry, less any applicable discount. Mixers, coolers, meads, RTDs, sake (one bottle), non-alcoholic beverages, and ciders, are entered in the beer category.
A 10% discount will be offered for the submission of 13 or more entries (not applicable on top of IVSA discount), and for Alberta Craft producers entering more than 6 products. In addition, a15% discount will be offered for the submission of 20 or more entries (not applicable on top of IVSA discount), and for Alberta Craft producers entering more than 12 products.
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For more details, please contact Linda Garson at linda@culinairemagazine.ca or Tom Firth at tom@culinairemagazine.ca.
Texting for the address is usually the quickest way to sort it out- especially for in person deliveries. Please text Tom Firth at 403 818 5304. You can also email him at tom@culinairemagazine.ca.​
PRODUCTS WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHED ON-SITE,
SO PLEASE ENSURE LABLES ARE CURRENT AND IN GOOD REPAIR.