The finalists in the first annual Scottish Beer Awards have been announced with 31 breweries and 73 beers progressing in the new national competition.

The awards cover both taste and business performance and were judged last week by a highly experienced judging panel consisting of some of Scotland’s foremost Brewing and beer experts.

Of the finalists, Ross-Shire based Black Isle Brewing Co leads the race with the most number of beers in the finals with a total of 8.  Brewdog, Orkney Brewing and Williams Bros are next with 5 beers each in the finals.  For a full list of finalists visit www.scottishbeerawards.co.uk/finalists

Five breweries will also fight it out for the top prize, Scottish Brewery of the Year.  Black Isle Brewing Co, Brewdog, Edinburgh Beer Factory, Fallen and Tempest Brewing Co have been selected following the strict judging process.

154 Scottish beers were tasted by 19 judges and were marked according to a range of tasting standards, adjudicated by the international sensory management consultancy, FlavorActiV.  Just under half of all the entered beers have been selected in the taste categories as finalists.

In addition 55 written entries covering breweries business performance were debated in a session which was chaired by former S&N Director, Hilary Jones.  She commented;

“The judging day was a fantastic experience and I was incredibly impressed by the high standard of written entries.  The tasting session was illuminating and with 8 beer types and 154 beers, we were really put through our paces.  The overwhelming consensus from the panel is that the Scottish brewing sector is in terrific health and producing some outstanding beers.”

Finalists are now being sent a digital marketing package to enable personalised branding of winning beers to take place.  The awards which launched in February have received widespread support and are sponsored by Craft Beer Clan and legal firm Maclay Murray & Spens.

Gold medal winners will be announced at a celebration dinner and event on Thursday 29 September taking place at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange with presentations also taking place for Silver Medal and Bronze Medal positions.  Tickets cost £120.00+VAT per person or £950.00+VAT for a table of 8, for full details visit www.scottishbeerawards.co.uk.

The Finalists are:

 

Best Lager or Pilsner

Bellfield Bohemian Pilsner

Black Isle Brewing Co Blonde

Brewdog King Pin

Drygate Brewery Bear Face

Edinburgh Beer Factory Paolozzi

Fallen Brewing Odyssey

Harviestoun Schiehallion

six°north Pils

Williams Bros Caesar Augustus

WooHa Lager

Best Amber or Dark Ale

Barney’s Beer Bastard Amber

Belhaven St Andrews Amber

Black Isle Brewing Co Red Kite

Born in the Borders Dark Horse

Brewdog 5am saint

Fallen Brewing  Dragonfly

Harviestoun Broken Dial

Loch Lomond Brewing Kessog

Orkney Brewery Dark Island

St. Andrews Brewing Company Neuk Ale

Williams Bros Pavlov’s Dog

Best Pale Ale

Black Isle Brewing Co Goldeneye

Born in the Borders Foxy Blonde

Brewdog Dead Pony Club

Caledonian Brewery Coast to Coast

Harviestoun The Ridge

Orkney Brewery Corncrake

Speyside Bow Fiddle Blonde

St. Andrews Brewing Company Crail Ale

Tempest Brewing Co The Pale Armadillo

Williams Bros Birds & Bee’s

Best IPA

Barney’s Beer Volcano IPA

Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA

Black Isle Brewing Co Gold Finch

Brewdog Punk IPA

Dead End Brew Machine Death one

Drygate Brewery Gladeye IPA

Fallen Brewing Platform C

Keith Brewing Pale Keith

Tempest Brewing Co Brave New World

Up Front Brewing Ishmael

Williams Bros Joker IPA

Best British Style Ale

Black Wolf William Wallace

Black Isle Brewing Co Scotch Ale

Colonsay Brewery 80 Shilling

Fallen Brewing  Local Motive

Harviestoun 80 Shilling

Kentwood Brewing Wee Heavy

Orkney Brewery Raven Ale

St. Andrews Brewing Company 80 Bob

Tempest Brewing Co Old Parochial

Windswept Brewing Co APA

 

Best Porter or Stout

Belhaven Scottish Oat Stout

Black Isle Brewing Co Porter

Black Isle Brewing Co Hibernator Oatmeal

Drygate Brewery Orinoco

Eden Mill Parritch Broo

Loch Lomond Brewing Silkie Stout

Orkney Brewery Dragonhead

Tempest Brewing Co Red Eye Flight

Up Front Brewing Ishmael

Windswept Brewing Co Bear

Best Speciality Beer

Black Isle Brewing Co Gold Finch

Brewdog Black Eyed King IMP

Dead End Brew Machine Death one

Orkney Brewery Drk Isld Rsrv

six°north Honey Be Good

Tempest Brewing Co Mexicake

Tempest Brewing Co Marmalade on Rye

Top Out Brewery Schmankerl

WEST Brewery Opus 268

Williams Bros Fraoch Ale

Innovation of the Year, sponsored by Boxshop Ltd

Beehive Brae, Honey Beer

Bellfield Brewery, Gluten Free Beer

Brewdog, DIY Dog

Speyside Craft Brewery, Beery Bin

WEST Brewery, West Beer App

 

Beer Destination of the Year

Barneys Beer, Summerhall , Edinburgh

Brewdog, DogTap, Ellon, Aberdeenshire

Born in the Borders, Jedburgh, Scottish Borders

Drygate, Glasgow

Eden Mill, St Andrews

Orkney Brewery, Stromness, Orkney

6 Degrees North, Glasgow

Tennents, Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow

WEST Brewery, Glasgow Green

Product Development Team of the Year

Caledonian Brewery

Dead End Brew Machine

Drygate Brewing Company

Fallen Brewery

Isle of Skye Brewery

Tempest Brewery

WEST Brewery

Exporter of the Year

Belhaven Brewery

Eden Mill

Keith Brewing

Windswept

Excellence in Marketing

Aldi Scottish Beer Festival

Brewdog

Colonsay

Eden Mill

Edinburgh Beer Factory

Keith Brewing

Pilot

WEST

Growth Business of the Year, sponsored by Maclay Murray Spens

Brewdog

Tempest Brewing Co

Drygate

Keith Brewing

Six Degrees North

Master Brewer of the Year

Andrew Barnett, Barneys Beer

Tony Kotronis, Keith Brewery

Ari Rovati, Six Degrees North

Ian Smith, Broughton Ales

Scottish Brewery of the Year

Black Isle Brewing Co

Brewdog

Edinburgh Beer Factory

Fallen

Tempest Brewing Co

 

 

 

The judging panel:

Alex Speers, Professor, Heriot Watt University

Dr Alan Barclay, Past President, Institute of Brewing and Distilling

Andrew Ley, Partner, HBJ Gateley

Andrew Wolffe, Director, Wolffe Design

Bill Simpson, Executive Director,               Cara Technology

Christopher Miller, Craft Beer Clan Scotland

Colin Johnston, Brewing Consultant, Maru Projects

Craig Brown, Director Ross & Brown

Dave Stewart, MD, DM Stewart Ltd

Dawn Maskell, Assistant Professor, Heriot Watt University

Sir Geoff Palmer MBE,Professor, Heriot Watt University

Hilary Jones, Chair of the Judging Panel.

Ian Herok, Director, Still Brewing Company

Pete Sherry, Owner, The BeerHive

Roger Protz, Editor of the Good Beer Guide

Ruth Evans, CEO, BFBI

Sean Murphy, Food & Drink Journalist

Tony McGrath, formerly S&N and Saltire Inns

Judge moderator: Evelyne Canterranne, Global Sensory Manager, FlavorActiV Ltd

 

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