Brewing brilliance rewarded as Black Sheep take World Beer Awards medals
Black Sheep Brewery has scooped two prestigious accolades at this year’s World Beer Awards (WBAs), affirming its standing as a top quality national and global brewery.
Black Sheep Ale and Riggwelter, stalwarts of the North Yorkshire Brewery’s hugely popular range of bottled ales, have received Gold and Silver medals, respectively, at the Awards, judged by an expert panel of journalists, retailers, buyers, brewers and marketers in London.
Black Sheep Ale, which has an ABV of 4.4%, received the Gold Medal in the Pale Beer – Amber category of the WBAs. A past winner of the Great Taste Gold Award and bronze medallist in the London 2012 International Beer Challenge, Black Sheep Ale is the Brewery’s leading bottled brand, having been part of the flock since 1993.
Riggwelter, a former bronze medallist at the International Beer Challenge in 2011, received a Silver Medal in the WBA Strong Dark Beer category. At 5.7% ABV, bottled Riggwelter complements the cask version of the beer as Black Sheep’s flagship strong ale.
These successes are not the first time Black Sheep has been successful in the World Beer Awards, with the Brewery’s Yorkshire Square Ale having previously been named World’s Best Premium Bitter in 2009.
Black Sheep Brewery’s Sales and Marketing Director Jo Theakston said: “These World Beer Awards for Black Sheep Ale and Riggwelter are a credit to our brewing team and affirm what we all believe here at the brewery – that Black Sheep’s range of premium beers is pretty much unrivalled in its quality and taste.
“Our Head Brewer, Alan Dunn, and his team deserve particular praise. They have been creating top quality brews for over two decades now and it’s the dedication to their art and obsession with quality ingredients that has resulted in this recognition. Everyone at the brewery is very proud we have been honoured with these awards, especially against such esteemed competition. We aren’t resting on our laurels. There’s lots of new quality brews in the pipeline too so watch this space.”
www.blacksheepbrewery.com
