SIBA has presented its 2025 Independent Beer Awards and, for the first time ever, all of the overall champions are from Scotland.
Jamie Delap and the Fyne Ales team
Cross Borders Brewing was named champion in the cask beer category with their India Pale Ale, Fyne Ales won the bottled/canned beer section with Mills & Hills Vintage — a barrel aged imperial stout — and Swannay took the keg championship with their strong Orkney Porter.
Jamie Delap, owner of Fyne Ales and SIBA’s regional director for Scotland, was on hand to collect awards for his brewery and the other Scottish gold medal winners.
“We’re absolutely delighted,” he said. “There’s so many fantastic beers here, so to win a medal is always brilliant. So the fact that judges have enjoyed what we do, we love it. We’re just so honoured.
“I think, in Scotland, we’re proud we’ve got lots of brewers doing some really good things, and this just validates that great work going on in Scotland. So we’re delighted to win, really proud of everyone.”
The awards are presented at the national finals of SIBA’s beer competition. In order to earn a place in the final, brewers must first win gold at a regional competition.
“These awards are 12 months in the making and given to only the UK’s very best beers,” said SIBA chief executive, Andy Slee. “Huge congratulations to all of this year’s medal winners, and particularly our three overall champions, all hailing from Scotland for the first time in the competition’s history. There must be something in the water up there!”
