Entries open for IInternational Brewing Awards and International Cider Awards
Championship winners from the 2013 competition with chair of judges Bill Taylor (middle row, right)
Entries are now open for the International Brewing Awards and International Cider Awards 2015.
Around 1,000 beers and ciders are expected to enter the competition, with judging taking place in February next year in Burton-on-Trent. Last year’s contest attracted entries from brewers and cider makers in 50 countries and awarded more than 100 medals and trophies to winners from 25 countries.
Following an enthusiastic response from cider makers, the cider competition is being expanded for 2015. Ciders were included in last year’s Awards for the first time in several decades and attracted some 60 entries. Next year, judges will make awards in 10 cider categories, with one overall Championship winner, in addition to the nine Championships in the brewing competition.
Bill Taylor, group technical director at Lion and chair of judges for the Awards, said, “We’re pleased that the 2015 competition is now open and confident that it will again be wholeheartedly supported by brewers and cider makers.
“The number and diversity of beers and ciders submitted to last year’s competition demonstrated the popularity of the awards among the global brewing and cider community, as does the willingness of respected brewers and cider makers to serve as judges in the competition.” A panel of around 40 judges, all commercially active brewers and cider makers, is being recruited from around the globe.
Industry enthusiasm for the Awards is evident in the partnerships with organisations globally, whose support is helping to ensure the competition’s repeated success. Leading packaging and filling technology manufacturer Krones have signed up as headline sponsors, while brewing process aid manufacturer AB Vickers is again an industry sponsor.
Gamko is providing the fridges to store the hundreds of bottles and cans expected to compete in the smallpack categories, while Centriflow Services is providing the cask cooling system. Molson Coors is again consolidating delivery of all the competitor beers and managing the keg installation at the National Brewery Centre in Burton. On the other side of the world, the Japan Craft Beer Association has confirmed its partner status.
Ruth Evans, director of Brewing Technology Services, which organises the competition, said, “Most of our industry supporters have been with us since our start in Burton, and we’re grateful for their loyalty. Our awards clearly command a lot of esteem, and affection, among the global brewing fraternity and we look forward to repaying that by staging another successful competition next year.”
The entry fee for 2015 is £160 (+VAT at UK rate) per beer or cider, with no duty payable on entries due to duty suspension. Entries to the competition close on 31 December 2014. For more details and to enter, visit www.brewingawards.org
INTERNATIONAL BREWING AWARDS and INTERNATIONAL CIDER AWARDS 2015
KEY DATES
31 December 2014: entries close
30 January 2015: deadline for beers and ciders to arrive in Burton-upon-Trent
10-12 February 2015: competition judging
12 February 2015: medal winners announced
29 April 2015: Championship Beer & Ciders announced, Guildhall, London
