The Beer Kitchen, the innovative range of beers brewed to be enjoyed with food from Wadworth, has won a string of awards.

Leading the pack is The Beer Kitchen Orange Peel Bitter, which has picked up two awards, including a 3 Star Gold Great Taste Award, a fantastic accolade for this superb beer which has been well received by the trade and by customers. Only 123 of the over 8800 products entered for the 2012 Great Taste Awards received a 3 Star Gold which is the top award for this competition and places The Beer Kitchen Orange Peel Bitter amongst an elite group of the finest food and drink products.

The judges comments commended the rich, full flavour of the beer and the baked marmalade aroma, and declared it overall “A great beer”.

The Beer Kitchen Orange Peel Bitter was also awarded a Bronze International Beer Challenge award for packaging, being selected from packaged beers from 26 countries across the world. This award recognises the unique concept of the classically elegant 330ml bottles which were designed specifically for the fine dining table.

The Beer Kitchen Orange Peel Bitter has received favourable reviews since it was launched, and last year was selected by the Guild of Beer Writers to be one of the beers served at their annual dinner. It is rich, golden and full-bodied with tangy orange and caramel sweet flavours, and aromas of citrus, melon and spice.

The Beer Kitchen Wheat Beer has also pulled in two Bronze awards from the International Beer Challenge, in the packaging and Wheat Beers categories. This light and refreshing beer is best served icy cold and has a hint of spicy clove and tongue tingling citrus fizz. It is perfect with delicate white fish or a light salad, or as a refreshing aperitif.

A range of craft beers lovingly created by expert brewers
The Beer Kitchen was launched exclusively to the on-trade by family brewers Wadworth Co Ltd last year. The intensely flavoured beers were carefully developed to appeal to discerning palates seeking new taste experiences or as an alternative to wine at the dinner table. Each of the five ales has a very distinct character that has been developed to perfectly match a wide range of foods, but will also serve as a stand-alone drink, either as an aperitif or as a post meal tipple.

The beers started life in the Wadworth micro-brewery where small batches were lovingly brewed and tasted, tweaked and finessed until the final selection of five were perfected. Three highly experienced brewers came up with individual flavour combinations, and worked their brewing magic until the beers achieved the intensity and personality they were seeking.

The award winning Beer Kitchen Orange Peel Bitter was brewed by Quality Assurance Brewer Andy Weaver who has been thrilled by the success of his creation. “I knew what I wanted when we started putting flavours together and creating a beer with orangey notes. It was important to make sure it was not overly sweet and that the flavours were fully rounded,” explained Andy. “I am delighted by the success of the finished beer and the recent awards which it has received.”

The Beer Kitchen Wheat Beer was created by Wadworth Head Brewer Brian Yorston.

“We have used the very best ingredients to create these beers, and will continue to brew them in small batches to ensure that they retain their unique handmade qualities,” he explains. “Each beer is the result of a brewer’s personal quest to perfect a flavour that he has dreamt up and endorsed. Creating such special beers is truly a labour of love.”