New nationwide homebrew competition to be judged by professionals at UK’s biggest brewing event
For the first time ever, homebrewers can compete in the SIBA National Homebrew Beer Awards – a new annual competition run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and have the chance to see their beer professionally brewed at an award-winning brewery.
Free to enter for SIBA Homebrewer members, the competition opens for registration today and will be judged by professional brewers at BeerX – the UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event in March 2023.
This year SIBA has partnered exclusively with Yakima Chief Hops to provide Homebrewer members with their new experimental hop HBC 586 which has been described as “a large medley of fruit flavours…mango, guava, lychee, citrus with herbal notes.” Entrants are challenged to brew the best single hop pale ale which showcases the full potential of this exciting new hop variety.
“Giving homebrewers access to one of Yakima Chief’s latest experimental hop varieties gives them the opportunity to push the boundaries of hop-forward brewing while being directly involved with Yakima Chief’s Elite Trials programme” said Robbie Harrigan, Home Brew Sales Manager for Yakima Chief in Europe. “Professional brewers have only recently had access to this incredible new hop, and we can’t wait to see what homebrewers create with it.”
The homebrewer who sees their beer named the Overall Champion in the SIBA Homebrew Beer Awards will have the opportunity to help scale-up their recipe for production at Quantock Brewery in the South West. This multi-award winning craft brewery is increasingly known for its hop forward beers such as its unique “Obsessed With” single hop range.
Quantock Director Cheryl Ford commented: “We started as every homebrewer did experimenting in our garage and now we’ve had the chance to develop and expand our own independent brewery making beers enjoyed around the country. It’s great to see that SIBA has expanded to include homebrewers who are the future of our industry and we can’t wait to invite the winner to join us here for a day of brewing.”
SIBA’s Homebrewer membership was launched in September and is open to all amateur brewers across the UK who want to improve their brewing skills. Along with entry to the brand new Homebrew Beer Awards, membership includes a quarterly magazine with a dedicated home brew section edited by Andy Parker of Elusive Brew and access to SIBA’s brewing tools and advice as well as access to regional and national SIBA events and beer competition judging.
For more information on SIBA Homebrewer membership or to join please visit – http://www.siba.co.uk/homebrewer/
Terms and conditions for entry in to the competition can be found here.
