Judges are gathering in Sheffield today to assess the finalists in the National Beer Competition organised by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). The judging, at iceSheffield, marks the start of SIBA’s BeerX 2014, which runs through to Saturday evening.
The judging panel, made up of around 100 brewers, industry experts, local licensees and beer enthusiasts will assess a total of 300 finalist beers, which have all earned their place by winning a medal at one of SIBA’s eight regional beer competitions.
The 60 Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners and three Supreme Champion winners of cask, keg and bottled categories will be announced tomorrow. After the presentations, all finalist beers will on sale in the BeerX Festival of Beer, which is anticipating 2,000 visitors between now and the event’s close on Saturday evening.
SIBA staged its first-ever BeerX in Sheffield last year and the event’s success ensured its return for 2014. This year, close to 800 industry delegates are attending BeerX to listen to the 25 speeches and seminars delivered by experts in their field, visit the 100 suppliers who are taking stands at the event, learn the winners of SIBA’s National Beer Competition, Business Awards and Lifetime Achievement Awards and network with fellow brewers and industry colleagues.
Key speakers include Community Pubs Minister Brandon Lewis and Andrew Griffiths MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group; JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin; brewing guru Charlie Bamford and Steve Grossman of Sierra Nevada. Seminars include sessions by John Keeling of Fullers on wood ageing; Roger Ryman of St Austell on English lager and a panel of SIBA members on pub retailing. A new ‘meet the buyer’ session on Friday gives delegates the chance to meet beer buyers from 10 export markets
Julian Grocock, SIBA chief executive, said, “We’re delighted that BeerX 2014 is now up and running after many months of preparation.
“We’re confident of achieving our goal for the event, which is to present British beer at its best to a wide ranging audience, from industry veterans who will be engaged by our top flight speakers, to new or growing brewers who will learn from our seminars and from the opportunities to network with their peers, to drinkers who will be spoilt for choice by the beers offered at the Festival of Beer.”
He added, “SIBA is, we believe, the only organisation who could credibly stage an event that brings together so many different groups, each with a different perspective on British beer but united in their love for it and desire to see it prosper.”
BEERX – PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
Tuesday 11 March:JUDGING DAY
- Final judging of all SIBA National Beer Competitions: Cask, Bottled and Craft Beer in Keg
Wednesday 12 March:SIBA AGM AND MEMBERS’ DAY
- SIBA AGM and briefings from SIBA executive
- Seminars for SIBA members including export sessions from UKTI
- Chairman’s reception
- Opening of BeerX Festival of Beer to public (evening)
- Announcement of SIBA’s National Beer Competition winners by BBC food and drink presenter Nigel Barden
Thursday 13 March:INDUSTRY DAY
- Key speakers
- Meet the Brewer event
- Presentation of the SIBA Business Awards and SIBA Lifetime Achievement Awards
- Festival of Beer open to public (evening only)
Friday 14 March: SIBA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DAY
- Business development seminars for SIBA brewers
- Meet the Buyer event: buyers from a number of export markets
- Festival of Beer open to public from 12 noon to 11.00 pm
Saturday 15 March: FESTIVAL OF BEER
- Festival of Beer open to public from 12 noon to 11.00 pm, Rugby Six Nations screened in afternoon
-ends-
Issued on behalf of: Society of Independent Brewers
By: ShielPorter Communications
For information: Ros Shiel
07841 694137 / 01403 267971