Acorn Barnsley Bitter Wins Major Acclaim at International ‘Brewing Oscars’

Acorn brewing team toast the gold award- l to r Adam Firth, Ciaran Baker, Dave Hughes, Steve Bunting, Bryan Spooner

A beer from Barnsley has been declared a top brew in a fiercely-fought international contest, known as ‘The Brewing Oscars’.

Acorn Brewery’s flagship Barnsley Bitter (3.8% abv) scooped a gold medal at the prestigious International Brewing Awards, the world’s longest running beer contest judged by professional brewers from the UK and abroad.

And the victory follows hard on the heels of the Acorn’s recent double success at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers & Associates) North East Region Beer Competition with gold wins for both bottled and keg versions of the famous tipple brewed in Wombwell. Next week (MARCH 18/19) they will be judged in the SIBA National Indie Beer Awards, at the annual BEERX event in Liverpool.

The biennial International Brewing Awards - founded in 1886 and run by the BFBI trade body - attracts hundreds of entries internationally across nine broad categories with 36 classes. Acorn took gold in the Cask Class for 2.9% to 3.8% strength ales.

Welcoming the award, managing director Dave Hughes - who founded Acorn in 2003  - said: “This is a wonderful win for us. Particularly as it is our first time in the awards, judged by brewers and regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the industry, where we competed against some much bigger brewers. Barnsley Bitter is a traditional Yorkshire bitter and was our inaugural brew. Today it remains our top-selling brand, despite the fiercely competitive market which constantly demands new brews. We are very proud to  be keeping Barnsley in the spotlight of the brewing world with this major recognition from professional brewers.

“This win is testimony to our brewer Steve Bunting, who began brewing alongside me 23 years ago and remains totally dedicated to the integrity of our flagship brand, brewing with quality and consistency. It is also very gratifying to have this award for our cask version just as our bottled and keg versions also go forward for national judging at the trade’s prestigious UK awards. This is a very exciting time for the Acorn team as we continue growing our business in the toughest of economic climates .”

Barnsley Bitter (3.8%abv) is full-bodied ale, brewed with the original 19th-century Barnsley Brewery yeast strain married with  Maris Otter, Crystal and Pale Chocolate supplied by nearby Thomas Fawcetts, Castleford and traditional English Challenger hops from Charles Faram of Worcester.  Chestnut brown, Barnsley Bitter has a rich malt character showcasing nutty and toffee notes from Maris Otter malt while dark fruit sweetness is balanced by a firm, traditional English hop bitterness.

Over the years, Acorn Barnsley Bitter has won a constant stream of accolades, including: the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Great British Beer Festival Champion Beer of Britain Silver 2006, Silver 2015, Bronze 2018, CAMRA Champion Beer of Yorkshire 2023 and SIBA North East Gold 2019, 2023, 2024.  

Ends

/Acorn International Brewing Awards

Notes to editors:

Acorn Brewery : Founded by ex-chef Dave Hughes in 2003, over the years Acorn Brewery has expanded from the original 10-brewers-barrels to today’s 25bbl plant which has the capacity to produce 125bbls (36,000 pints) per week to directly supply pubs throughout the North of England and Midlands and wholesale distribution further afield. Several new brands have been introduced in recent years and Acorn has produced a record setting series of single hopped IPAs (India Pale Ale) for several years.

International Brewing and Cider Awards: Ruth Evans MBE, Chief Executive of the BFBI and Director of the International Brewing and Cider Awards, said:  “Our international panel of brewers and cider makers have judged a fantastic array of beers and ciders from around the world.  The results reflect the quality of entries this year - ensuring a high level of debate amongst the judges, debate being at the core of our judging process.”

For further information contact: Steve Hobman, Rhino Public Relations 07751 578605 or stevehobman@rhinopr.co.uk 

Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.