Pete Brown has been named Beer Writer of the Year 2021 at the British Guild of Beer Writers’ annual awards ceremony. He has now won the award four times, following triumphs in 2016, 2012, and 2009.
2021 winners with their awards
Beer Writer of the Year is the top accolade in the guild’s annual competition for writing about beer and pubs, which this year received more than 150 entries across 13 categories.
On his way to the main prize, Pete won the gold award in three categories: best writing about pubs, best online communicator, and best book about beer or pubs, for Beer By Design.
This year’s highest-ever prize fund of £17,000 was shared between 16 gold and silver award winners.
Emma Inch, chair of the guild and of this year’s awards judging, said: “Pete is a worthy Beer Writer of the Year. He has a talent for finding interesting nuggets in whatever he’s writing about, and turning them into stories that don’t just appeal to beer geeks, but pull in a wider audience. His work is always meticulously researched, but also accessible and great fun to read.
“The standard of entries across all categories was, as ever, extremely high, and judges had a tough task choosing the winners and runners-up. We were impressed by the levels of knowledge, energy, and passion that shone through the works submitted by our finalists, whether they had written a column, published a book, or produced a film.
“Everyone who received an award or a commendation should be extremely proud. They really are the cream of British beer writing in 2021 and we wish them all success in their future career communicating about beer and pubs.”
Brewer of the Year
The Brewer of the Year title, sponsored by SIBA, was presented to John Hatch, of Ram Brewery, who gathered the highest number of votes in a poll of guild members.
Presenting the award, Emma said: “John has deservedly won enormous respect across the brewing sector and this was reflected in our poll. According to one of the guild members who nominated John, he “single-handedly managed to keep the continuation of brewing on Wandsworth’s Young’s Brewery site”.
The winners were announced at the guild’s annual dinner, held at One Great George Street in Westminster. Each dish was served with a specially selected beer: Ten Degrees Czechia Session Lager, from Utopian Brewing; Wolf Dark Scottish Ale, from Windswept Brewing Co; Roots Rock Reggae IPA, from Roosters Brewing Co; and Waiting for the Rain Imperial Stout, from Loch Lomond Brewery.
Full list of winners
SIBA award for Brewer of the Year
John Hatch, Ram Brewery
Guild award for best beer writer, corporate communications
Winner: CAMRA’s Learn & Discover programme: Alex Metcalfe
Commended: Fifty Years of CAMRA book: Laura Hadland
Harvey’s Tom Paine award for best citizen beer communicator
Winner: Gabriele Bertucci for Turning the Tide podcasts
Silver Award: Chris Hodgson for CraftBeerChris blogs
Shepherd Neame award for best writing about pubs
Winner: Pete Brown for press and online articles
Silver Award: Adrian Tierney-Jones, for articles in The Daily Telegraph
VISITFLANDERS award for best beer and travel writer
Winner: Will Hawkes, for articles in The Washington Post, and others
Silver Award: Breandán Kearney, for articles in National Geographic, Good Beer Hunting, and others
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company award for best writing about sustainability in beer and pubs
Winner: Hollie Stephens, for writing about carbon capture
Silver Award: Tim O’Rourke, for work on carbon footprint
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I award for best writing about no- and low-alcohol beers
Winner: Will Hawkes, for writing in Good Beer Hunting
Silver Award: Jonny Garrett, for work in Ferment and on YouTube
Asahi award for best beer broadcaster
Winner: Jonny Garret for Craft Beer Channel and The Bubble
Silver Award: Natalya Watson for Beer With Nat
Fuller Smith & Turner award for best young beer writer
Winner: Ashley Joanna for articles in Belgian Smaak
Silver Award: Matthew Rogers for CAMRAngle magazine
Award for best book about beer or pubs
Winner: Pete Brown, Beer By Design
Highly Commended: James Morton, From Scratch: Brew
Allsopp’s award for best beer writer, trade media
Winner: Hollie Stephens, for articles in Brewer & Distiller International
Silver Award: Adrian Tierney-Jones for articles in Imbibe and Brewing & Beverages Industries Business
Heineken award for best beer communicator, online
Winner: Pete Brown for posts on www.petebrown.net
Silver Award: David Jesudason for posts on Pellicle
Highly Commended: Mark Dredge for posts on Good Beer Hunting
Adnams award for best beer writer, regional media
Winner: Breandán Kearney for articles on Belgian Smaak
Silver Award: Rachel Auty for regional broadcasts including Harrogate Community Radio
Greene King award for best beer writer, national media
Winner: Will Hawkes, for writing in the Washington Post and Beer
Silver Award: Adrian Tierney-Jones for writing in the Daily Star, and others
Highly Commended: Ruvani de Silva, for writing in Good Beer Hunting, and others
The Michael Jackson gold award for beer writer of the year 2021: Pete Brown
