The finalists in the third annual Scottish Beer Awards have been announced with 36 breweries and 192 beers all brewed in Scotland progressing to the finals of the national competition.
The awards cover both taste and business performance and were judged last week by an experienced judging panel consisting of some of Scotland’s foremost brewing and beer experts.
Of the finalists, Edinburgh-based Stewart Brewing leads the race with 16 beers reaching the finals in the taste categories. BrewDog, The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company and Tempest Brewing Co. and are next with 12 beers each and Cromarty Brewing, the rural brewery based on the Black Isle, and Fierce Beer from Aberdeen each have 10 beers in the finals.
Five breweries will fight it out for the ultimate award, the Scottish Brewery of the Year which will be presented by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers; Eden Mill, Edinburgh Beer Factory,
Fierce Beer, Stewart Brewing and The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company.
Nearly 300 Scottish beers were tasted by 25 judges and were marked according to a range of tasting standards, managed by the international sensory management consultancy, Cara Technology. In addition, 84 written entries covering breweries’ business performance in areas including marketing, innovation and product development, were debated in a session which was chaired by former S&N Technical and Quality Director, Hilary Jones.
Hilary Jones said; “To make it to the final stage is an achievement in itself. Due to the huge surge in the volume and range of beers entered this year, just over half of the entered beers have progressed to this stage.
“The beers which have made it to the final had to achieve a high standard of marks in the rigorous tasting session all of which was conducted blind and managed by the excellent technical team at Cara Technology. The finalists we have selected in the business awards clearly demonstrate the strength and potential of the brewing industry in Scotland.”
In the business categories, a new category has been created for Emerging Brewer of the Year, sponsored by ALDI, to recognise promise and potential in newly qualified brewers.
There are three finalists in the category from The Innis & Gunn Nrewing Company, Redcastle Brewery and Merchant City Brewing Co.
Finalists are now being sent a digital marketing package to enable personalised branding of finalist beers to take place. The finalists will also receive branding support in the aisles of ALDI supermarkets in Scotland.
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, ALDI Scotland, commented:
“We are thrilled to be the headline sponsor of the Scottish Beer Awards for the third year running. It gives us great pleasure to see so many of the Scottish breweries that ALDI works with take their place in this year’s shortlist.
“Scotland’s beer industry continues to thrive and we’re very proud at ALDI to play an important part in the continued success and growth of this sector. The quality of the beer produced in Scotland is truly world class and will continue to hold an important place on our shelves. We wish all the finalists the very best of luck in this year’s competition.”
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All medal winners will be announced at an awards celebration and gourmet beer-paired dinner on Thursday 27th September 2018 at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.
Tickets cost £120.00 + VAT per person or £1,200.00 + VAT for a table of 10. For full details visit www.scottishbeerawards.co.uk.
Full List of Finalists:
Scottish Brewery of the Year sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Company
- Eden Mill
- Edinburgh Beer Factory
- Fierce Beer
- Stewart Brewing
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
Best Lager or Pilsner
- Bellfield Brewery – Bohemian Pilsner
- Brew Toon – Weekend Hooker
- BrewDog – Fools Gold
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Lager
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Arctic Swell
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Chimera India Pale Lager
- Edinburgh Beer Factory – Paolozzi Unfiltered Helles Lager
- Edinburgh Beer Factory – Paolozzi Helles Lager
- Eyeball Brewing – Eyeball Yellow
- Eyeball Brewing – Eyeball Black
- Merchant City Brewing Co. – Vienna Lager
- six°north – Peloton
- Stewart Brewing – Franz Lager
- Stewart Brewing – Stewart’s Lager
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Hell-Es Lager
- Tennent Caledonian Breweries – Tennent’s Gluten Free Beer
- Tennent Caledonian Breweries – Caledonia Double Hop
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Lager
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – Caesar Augustus
Best Pale Ale
- Barney’s Beer – Cloudburst
- Belhaven Brewery – Bridge To Nowhere Pale Ale
- Black Isle Brewing Co. – Rhode Runner
- Born in the Borders – Flower of Scotland
- Bute Brew Co. – Straad Ass
- Campbell’s Brewery – Gunner
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Rogue Wave
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Happy Chappy
- Cross Borders Brewing Company – Braw
- Cross Borders Brewing Company – APA
- Eden Mill – Three Pistons
- Ferry Brewery – Ferry Fair
- Fierce Beer – Day Shift
- Merchant City Brewing Co. – American Pale Ale
- Redcastle Brewery – Crusader
- Stewart Brewing – Cascadian East
- Stewart Brewing – Ka Pai
- Stewart Brewing – Hollyrood
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Long White Cloud
- Tennent Caledonian Breweries – Caledonia Outpost IPA
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Frank & Sense
- The Orkney Brewery – Orkney Gold
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – Birds & Bees
Best IPA sponsored by Bairds Malt & Brewers Select
- BrewDog – King of Eights
- BrewDog – Hazy Jane
- BrewDog – Jet Trash
- Bute Brew Co. – 48 Ferries
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Black Hop Down
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Seven Peaks
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Galdeye IPA
- Fierce Beer – Split Shift
- Spey Valley Brewery – Hardware
- St Andrews Brewing Company – Notorious B.I.P.A.
- Stewart Brewing – Radical Road
- Stewart Brewing – First World Problems
- Stewart Brewing – Voss IPA
- Stewart Brewing For Lidl – Bright Lights IPA
- Swannay Brewery – Muckle IPA
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Brave New World
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Soma IPA
- Tennent Caledonian Breweries – Tennents Export IPA
- Top Out Brewery – The Cone
- Up Front Brewing – Ishmael
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Tornado
Best Session Beer
- Barney’s Beer – Glory Days
- Born in the Borders – Foxy Blonde
- BrewDog – Dead Pony Club
- Bute Brew Co. – Scalpsie Blonde
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Whiteout
- Cross Borders Brewing Company – Wee Braw
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Ax Man Rye IPA
- Eden Mill – Weize Guy
- Ferry Brewery – 3 Bridges
- Fierce Beer – Heffen Heff
- six°north – Omnium
- Spey Valley Brewery – Stillman’s IPA
- Stewart Brewing – Session IPA
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Vermont Sessions
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Pale Armadillo
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Session IPA
- The Orkney Brewery – Corncrake
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Lighthouse
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Hurricane
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Aurora
Best British Style Ale sponsored by Wolffe
- Barney’s Beer – Good Ordinary Pale Ale
- Belhaven Brewery – Scottish Ale
- Belhaven Brewery – 80 Shilling
- Born in the Borders – Game Bird
- Bute Brew Co. – Red
- Bute Brew Co. – Thorough Bread
- Eden Mill – 19th Brew
- Fyne Ales – Maverick
- Inveralmond Brewery – Ossian
- Inveralmond Brewery – Lia Fail
- The Orkney Brewery – Orkney Raven
- Swannay Brewery – Scapa Special
- Williams Brothers Brewing Co. – Fraoch
Best Amber or Dark Ale
- Dalrannoch Brewing Co. – Red Skelp
- Edinburgh Beer Factory – BUNK! Edinburgh Brown
- Ferry Brewery – Ferry Alt
- Fyne Ales – Vital Spark
- Inveralmond Brewery – Daracha
- Late Night Hype Brewing Co. – Lennox Amber
- Merchant City Brewing Co. – Unit 1 Red Ale
- Spey Valley Brewery – Spey’s Hopper
- Stewart Brewing – St Giles
- Stewart Brewing – Embra
- The Orkney Brewery – Orkney Dark Island
- The Orkney Brewery – Orkney Red MacGregor
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Wolf
Best Porter sponsored by Barr Printer
- Barney’s Beer – Capital Porter
- Black Isle Brewing Co. – Double Hit
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Ghost Town
- Cross Borders Brewing Company – India Porter
- Ferry Brewery – Thomas Miller
- Fierce Beer – Dirty Sanchez
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Red Eye Flight
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Elemental
- Top Out Brewery – Smoked Porter
Best Stout
- Belhaven Brewery – Scottish Stout
- Belhaven Brewery – Scottish Oat Stout
- Born in the Borders – Liquid Velvet
- BrewDog – Jet Black Heart
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Brewed Awakening
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Orinoco Breakfast Stout
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Dark Skies
- Eden Mill – Imperfect Storm
- Fierce Beer – Moose Mousse
- Fyne Ales – Sublime Stout
- Stewart Brewing – Cauld Reekie
- Stewart Brewing/Electric Bear Brewing – Not Your Buddy, Guy
- Tennent Caledonian Breweries – Tennent’s Export Stout
- The Orkney Brewery – Orkney Dragonhead Stout
- Up Front Brewing – AHAB
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – Profanity Stout
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – March Of The Penguin
Best Amplified Beer sponsored by Cara Technology
- Barney’s Beer – Marshmallow Milk Stout
- Black Isle Brewing Co. – Scotch Ale
- Black Isle Brewing Co. – Systems Theory
- BrewDog – Pulp Patriot
- BrewDog – Cocoa Psycho
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Orpheus
- Fierce Beer – Very Big Moose
- Fyne Ales – Mills & Hills
- Merchant City Brewing Co. – Jaggery Imperial Stout
- six°north – Chapeau
- Swannay Brewery – Orkney Porter
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Marmalade on Rye
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Mexicake
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – Double Joker IPA
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – Alba
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Chinook
Best Sour Beer
- Barney’s Beer – Cosmic Ripple
- BrewDog – Zephyr – Lime Gose Edition
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Udder Madness
- Fierce Beer – Tangerine Tart
- Fierce Beer – Very Berry
- Fyne Ales – Origins Brewing – Expedition
- Fyne Ales – Origins Brewing – Goodnight, Summer
- Stewart Brewing/BrewDog – Corpse Reviver
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Drop Kick Me Jesus
Best Fruit Forward sponsored by Foodies Magazine
- Belhaven Brewery – Twisted Grapefruit IPA
- Belhaven Brewery – Twisted Mango IPA
- BrewDog – Clockwork Tangerine
- BrewDog – Elvis Juice
- Dead End Brew Machine – Death III
- Drygate Brewing Co. – Disco Forklift Truck
- Edinburgh Beer Factory – BUNK! Cherry Saison
- Fierce Beer – Cranachan Killer
- Late Night Hype Brewing Co. – BoomTang IPA
- Merchant City Brewing Co. – Kiwi & Lime Saison
- Tempest Brewing Co. – Dios Mio
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Mangoes on the Run
- Top Out Brewery – Simon Says-On
- Williams Bros Brewing Co. – Rubus
Best Barrel Aged Beer
- Black Isle Brewing Co. – Systems Theory (East Coast)
- Black Isle Brewing Co. – Systems Theory (West Coast)
- BrewDog – Dog G
- Cromarty Brewing Co. – Double Barrel Rocker
- Eden Mill – Russian Caravan Imperial Stout
- Fierce Beer – BA Very Big Moose
- Merchant City Brewing Co. – Bourbon Barrelled Vienna Lager
- St Andrews Brewing Company – Party Like an Australian
- Stewart Brewing/Electric Bear Brewing – Not Your Buddy, Guy (Barrel Aged)
- Swannay Brewery – Barrel Aged Orkney Porter (Arran Ed)
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Blood Red Sky
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Kindred Spirits
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Mika’s Choice
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – The Original
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company – Vanishing Point
- The Orkney Brewery – Orkney Dark Island Reserve
- Windswept Brewing Co. – Wolf of Glen Moray
Master Brewer of the Year
- Andrew Fulton, The Orkney Brewery
- Dougal Sharp, The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
- Scott Williams, Williams Brothers Brewing Co.
Breakthrough Brewery
- Bellfield Brewery
- Brew Toon
- Dalrannoch Brewing Co.
- Edinburgh Beer Factory
- Merchant City Brewing Company
- Redcastle Brewery
- Up Front Brewing
Emerging Brewer of the Year sponsored by ALDI
- Adam Gray, Merchant City Brewing Co.
- Thomas Willis, Redcastle Brewery
- Jonathan Robinson (Digger), The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
Growth Business of the Year sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
- Bellfield Brewery
- Fierce Beer
- St Andrews Brewing Company
- Stewart Brewing
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
Innovation of the Year sponsored by Kegstar
- Bute Brew Co. for Thorough Bread Beer and the Circular Economy
- Eyeball Brewing for Innovative Product Range
- Fyne Ales for Origins Brewing
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company for Barrels into Beer
- Williams Brothers Brewing Co. for Innovative Bottle Design
Exporter of the Year
- Belhaven Brewery
- Black Isle Brewing Co.
- Fierce Beer
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
- WooHa Brewing Company
Excellence in Marketing
- Cross Borders Brewing Company
- Fierce Beer
- Merchant City Brewing Co.
- Stewart Brewing
- Tempest Brewing Co.
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
- Williams Brothers Brewing Co.
Product Development Team of the Year
- Barney’s Beer
- Cromarty Brewing Co.
- Dead End Brew Machine
- Edinburgh Beer Factory
- Tempest Brewing Co.
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
Beer Bar of the Year
- Barney’s Beer
- Black Isle Brewing Co.
- Brew Toon
- Old Worthy Brewing Co.
- Shilling Brewing Company
- six°north
- St Andrews Brewing Company
- The Innis & Gunn Brewing Company
- Williams Brothers Brewing Co.
Beer Destination of the Year
- Born in the Borders
- Edinburgh Beer Factory
- Fyne Ales
- The Orkney Brewery
- Stewart Brewing
- Tennent’s Wellpark Brewery
Beer Event of the Year
BrewDog for Collabfest
Drygate Brewing Co., West End Beer Festival, Up Front Brewing, Out of Town Brewing, Dead End Brew Machine & Gallus for Beer Makes Glasgow Festival
Fyne Ales for FyneFest
six°north for Midsummer Beer Happening
Tempest Brewing Co. for Springfest & Oktoberfest
Windswept Brewing Co. for Moktoberfest
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