Sinclair & Drygate named best independent craft brewers in Scotland

November 7, 2018| Neil Walker | Scotland, SIBA National

Sinclair Breweries and Drygate have been named the best independent craft brewers in Scotland after taking home the two top spots in SIBA Scotland Independent Beer Awards.

The prestigious awards, run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) at the Drygate Brewery and Taproom in Glasgow, are judged by brewers and beer experts and seen very much as the ‘brewers choice’ awards in the industry.

Sinclair’s ‘Orkney Dark Island Reserve’, a formidable barrel-aged 10% imperial stout with rich chocolate and whisky-like flavours took home the overall Gold in the cask competition and another stout, this time Drygate’s silky smooth 6% milk stout ‘Orinoco’, claimed the Overall Gold in the bottle and can competition.

SIBA Competitions Committee Chair Guy Sheppard presented the awards,

“The Scottish independent beer awards name the very best craft beers in the country and the standard of entries in 2018 was some of the best we have ever seen. I’d like to congratulate all of the winners and in particular our Overall Golds, who fought off tough competition to be named the very best of the best.” 

Collecting the Overall Cask Gold award for Sinclair Breweries was Commercial Manager Craig Steven,

“This is a fantastic achievement and we’re delighted to get the recognition for the hard work that goes into making this beer. It’s a really delicious, complex beer but what makes it so special we think is the balance of flavours that has been achieved. It’s very refined, not too bitter not too sweet, and surprisingly easy drinking for the strength. We’re delighted.”

Collecting the Overall Gold in the bottle and can competition was Drygate brewing’s Operations Director Sam Cordon,

“It means a huge amount to win this award, it’s the second time we’ve won with this stout and it shows how well it’s received by brewers and beer drinkers. This beer is as complex as it is accessible – it’s got coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and some roasted bitterness – so people who aren’t usually into dark beers love it as it tastes a lot like an espresso Martini, which everybody loves. It’s on the bar right now in the Taproom and we even have a peanut butter version for people to try!”

Full Winners List
Cask

Overall Champion of the Cask Competition

Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Cask British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)

Cask Premium PAs (4.4% to 5.4%)

Cask IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)

Cask Speciality Light Beers

Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers

Cask Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)

Bottle/Can

Overall Champion of the Bottle/Can Competition

Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Bottle/Can British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can Session IPA (up to 4.3%)

Bottle/Can Premium PA (4.4% to 5.4%)

Bottle/Can IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can Imperial IPA (6.5% and over)

Bottle/Can Session Lager & Pilsner (up to 4.4%)

Bottle/Can Premium Lager & Pilsner (4.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can Speciality Light Beers

Bottle/Can Speciality Mid to Dark Beers

Bottle/Can Sours/Spontaneous

Bottle/Can Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)

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