Blog: Indie Beer Awards Style Category updates for 2026
The Indie Beer Awards categories in the seperate Cask, Keg, and Bottle & Can Awards are reviewed annually by the SIBA Competitions Committee following feedback from entrants and judges throughout the year, and following this process there are a small number of important changes for 2026, which are summarised below.
The SIBA Competitions Committee is comprised of brewer Directors from each SIBA Region, as well as a representative from the SIBA staff team, and is Chaired by SIBA Director Anneli Baxter. The below changes have been carefully considered and seek to make it easier for breweries entering the awards, and give judges the best possible chance at judging beers fairly and accurately. If you have any questions regarding these changes or would like to give any feedback you can do so by emailing beercompetitions@siba.co.uk
Cask
- No changes to cask categories for 2026.
- View full Cask Category Guidelines
Keg
- The ‘Non-Alcoholic and Low-ABV’ category which included beers from 0 – 2.8% has been replaced by the new ‘Alcohol Free Beer’ category for beers up to 0.5% abv only. Any beers 0.6% or higher should now be entered into the relevant style category.
- The Continental Style Beer category has been amended to ‘Belgian & Continental Style Beer’.
- View full Keg Category Guidelines
Bottle & Can
- The ‘Non-Alcoholic and Low-ABV’ category which included beers from 0 – 2.8% has been replaced by two new categories; one for ‘Alcohol Free Beer’ up to 0.5% abv only, and a second ‘Low Alcohol Beer’ category for beers 0.6 – 2.9% abv.
- The ‘British Ales’ category which included a range of British beer styles such as Bitter, Best Bitter, ESB, British Golden Ale etc up to 6.4% has been replaced by two new categories; one for ‘British Bitter’ up to 4.4%, and a second for ‘British Best Bitter’ 4.5 – 6.4%.
- The ‘Stout & Porter’ category which included dark beers up to 6.4% has been replaced by two new categories; one for ‘Session Dark Beers’ up to 4.4%, and a second for ‘British Dark Beers’ up to 6.4%.
- The Continental Style Beer category has been amended to the ‘Belgian & Continental Style Beer’.
- View full Bottle & Can Category Guidelines
