The British Guild of Beer Writers has shortlisted 35 writers, journalists and bloggers ahead of its annual awards dinner next month.
Award winners in 2019, when the guild dinner was last staged
Category winners and runners-up, as well as the overall beer writer of the year and brewer of the year, will be unveiled in London on 2nd December.
Judges read, viewed, and listened to some 150 entries, including newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, radio broadcasts, films, podcasts, and books. There is a prize fund of £17,000 across 13 award categories.
The shortlist was compiled by a panel comprising:
- Emma Inch, guild chair
- Keith Bott, managing director of Titanic Brewery
- Sarah Bridge, founder of the A Lady of Leisure travel website, and former Mail on Sunday correspondent
- Joanna Copestick, publisher at Kyle Books
- Matt Eley, communications consultant and former editor of Inapub magazine
- Paul Hegarty, secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group
- Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association
- Ned Palmer, cheesemonger and author
- Valentine Warner, chef, writer, and broadcaster
- Georgina Young, brewing director at St Austell Brewery
Emma: “We’re delighted to have restored our annual awards to their pre-pandemic status, with 13 categories, a record prize fund, and entries from talented individuals across the world of beer and pub writing.
“Entries across all categories were of a high standard, and it was great to see the breadth of topics covered and the diversity of media used. Selecting our finalists was a challenge for the judges, and everyone on the shortlist should be very proud of their achievement.”
The brewer of the year award, sponsored by SIBA, is decided by guild members, who firstly nominate brewers they think should win the accolade, and then vote in an online poll.
The awards dinner will be held on Thursday, 2nd December, at One Great George Street, in Westminster. Guests will enjoy dinner, with beers matched to each course, and beers before and after the meal, provided by awards sponsors. Guild members, both individual and corporate, and non-guild members, are welcome to attend. More information and tickets are available on the guild website.
Industry charity Only A Pavement Away will have a presence in the pre- and post-dinner bar area. The charity supports people facing homelessness, prison leavers, and veterans into careers within hospitality.
The awards shortlist
SIBA brewer of the year
- Stacey Ayeh, Rock Leopard Brewing Co
- Charlotte Cook, Coalition Brewing
- John Hatch, Ram Brewery
- Robin Head-Fourman, Beak Brewery
- Andy Parker, Elusive Brewing
- Jeremy Swainson, Utopian Brewing
Guild award for best beer writer, corporate communications
- CAMRA: 50 Years of CAMRA (Laura Hadland)
- CAMRA: Learn and Discover (Alex Metcalfe)
- James Clay and Sons (Joe Dick)
- Craft Beer for the Geeks: Brewdog (Richard Taylor)
- Women on Tap (Rachel Auty)
Guild award for best book about beer or pubs
- Pete Brown: Beer By Design
- Matthew Curtis: Modern British Beer
- Mark Dredge: Beer & Veg
- James Morton: From Scratch: Brew
Harvey’s Tom Paine award for best citizen beer communicator
- Gabriele Bertucci
- Chris Hodgson
- Douglas Merlo
- Paul Newton
Fuller, Smith & Turner award for best young beer writer
- Matthew Rogers
- Ashley Joanna
- Ellie King
- Helen Anne Smith
VISITFLANDERS award for best beer and travel writer
- Matthew Curtis
- Will Hawkes
- Breandán Kearney
- Eoghan Walsh
Asahi award for best beer broadcaster
- Gabriele Bertucci
- Beth Demmon
- Jonny Garrett
- Natalya Watson
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I award for best writing about no- and low-alcohol beers
- Martyn Cornell
- Matthew Curtis
- Jonny Garrett
- Will Hawkes
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company award for best writing about sustainability in beer and pubs
- Matthew Curtis
- Tim O’Rourke
- Hollie Stephens
Allsopp’s award for best beer writer, trade media
- Jeff Evans
- Jonny Garrett
- Hollie Stephens
- Adrian Tierney-Jones
Shepherd Neame award for best writing about pubs
- Pete Brown
- Laura Hadland
- Hollie Stephens
- Adrian Tierney-Jones
Heineken award for best beer communicator, online
- Pete Brown
- Mark Dredge
- David Jesudason
- Breandán Kearney
- Ruvani de Silva
Adnams award for best beer writer, regional media
- Rachel Auty
- Jules Gray
- Breandán Kearney
- Matthew Rogers
Greene King award for best beer writer, national media
- Matthew Curtis
- Anthony Gladman
- Will Hawkes
- Ruvani de Silva
- Sarah Sinclair
- Adrian Tierney-Jones
