Sara Barton of Brewster’s Brewery in Grantham has been celebrating Hophead’s gold medal win at the International Brewing Awards 2015 in Burton on Trent.
The awards, which take place every two years, are known as the ‘Oscars’ of the brewing industry. Around 1000 entries from 50 countries are judged by brewers from around the world across a number of different categories. Hophead was placed first in the Class 1 category for Cask Ale 2.9% – 3.8% ABV.
“Recognition at the International Brewing Awards is a massive boost for Brewster’s Brewery”, says winning brewster Sara Barton. “As a gold-medal winner we’ve been chosen as one of the best cask ales in the world by other brewers. We believe that we’ve earned our place on the bar as a top-quality British brewery, consistently brewing great-tasting and innovative beers.
“Hophead is our best-selling beer and we brew it at least once a week to keep up with demand,” continued Sara. “We first brewed Hophead in 1999, naming it after the term that we first heard in the USA where West Coast brewers are often called “Hopheads” due to their passion for brewing hoppy beers. Hoppy beers have done much to attract new drinkers to cask ale and we’re proud that our Hophead is one of the best.”
The judges at the International Brewing Awards particularly enjoyed Hophead’s “refreshing hop notes” and the beer is now in the running, alongside three other class winners, for the International Cask Conditioned Beer Competition Trophy which will be announced on 29th April.
Sara’s tasting notes for Hophead:
A very flavoursome blond beer with a fresh zesty hop character; highlights of orange, lemon and blackcurrant hop notes from a blend of English & American hops.
Sara adds: “This is what the hip young brewers are calling a session IPA!”
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Contact details:
Sara Barton, Brewster’s Brewing Company Ltd, 01476 566000
Louise Ashworth, Ashworth PR & Marketing, 07740 844733, louiseashworth1@gmail.com
Notes for Editors:
Brewster’s Brewery was established by Sara Barton in 1998 in Stathern and moved to Grantham in 2006. A brewster is a female brewer and until c.1600 the majority of brewers in England were women.
Sara Barton has a Masters Degree in Brewing & Distilling from the world renowned Heriot Watt Brewing School in Edinburgh. She worked at Courage Brewing (Reading, Bristol & Tadcaster) 1988-1991. Working across the brewing process in production management in what was the largest brewery in Europe at the time (Courage Reading). Involved in manufacture of brands such as Fosters, Kronenbourg, Courage Directors and Bulldog. Before setting up Brewster’s in the Vale of Belvoir in 1998.
2011 Sara set up Project Venus in the UK to encourage collaboration between female brewers (brewsters) and to promote beer to female drinkers.
Sara Barton won Brewer of the Year at the British Guild of Beer Writers in 2012, and her beers have won many awards including SIBA National Gold winner 2007 Bitter Class for Hophead, SIBA National Silver 2014 for Aromantica, SIBA National Silver 2009 Best Bitter for Decadence and SIBA National Silver Medal 2007 for Rutterkin. Sara also appeared on Jamie Oliver’s Food Fight Club in a battle of the beers with brewers from Belgium.