With exactly four weeks until entries close for The International Brewing Awards, on 31st December, the competition’s organisers are gearing up for a final influx of submissions from brewers and cider makers around the world.
Ruth Evans, director of Brewing Technology Services, said, “Entries to the 2013 Brewing Awards are following the pattern of the last competition, in 2011, with an increasing number of entries now coming in as the deadline approaches.
“We have had twice the number of entrants that we had at the same stage last time and for that competition, we received over 50% of total entries during the December – so we’re expecting a busy month ahead.
‘Anyone considering an entry can do so very easily by completing the relevant entry form on the Brewing Awards website. We’d recommend early completion so that entries can be processed before the deadline.”
She added, “We’re also pleased with the diversity of entries, both in geographical spread of the brewers, and the styles of beer. In 2011, we judged beers from more than 40 countries and are expecting to exceed that this time. Recent entries have arrived from brewers in Russia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgystan and South Korea. “
Judging for the 2013 competition will be held from 13th – 15th February in Burton-upon-Trent. Beers will be judged by a panel of 33 currently practising brewers, drawn from most continents and from a broad spectrum of the brewing world. A separate panel of specialist cider judges is also being assembled.
The entry fee for The International Brewing Awards has been kept the same as for the 2011 competition at £150 (+VAT at UK rate) per beer or cider. Also retained is the duty suspension, meaning that no entrant will have to pay duty on their submission to the competition.
Entry forms can be downloaded from the website www.brewingawards.org, and submitted right up to the deadline on 31st December.
Sponsors for the 2013 Awards are: Krones, Barth-Haas; AB Vickers; Murphy & Son; BFBi, Institute of Brewing & Distilling; New Zealand Hops; Simply Hops; Anton Paar; Micro Matic; British Guild of Beer Writers; drink Technology + Marketing; All Party Parliamentary Beer Group; Publican’s Morning Advertiser; Briggs; M F Refrigeration; National Brewery Centre and Rankin Brothers & Sons. The Japan Craft Beer Association is once again a partner to the event and will encourage its members to enter.
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Notes to editors
- The International Brewing Awards are structured into nine categories, each sub-divided into between two and four classes. Details of categories and classes for the 2013 Awards are under review and will be published on the website.
- The first competition was held in 1886, within The Brewers’ Exhibition (later known as BREWEX) at The Agricultural Hall in Islington (now the Business Design Centre). It later moved to Earl’s Court, then to the Birmingham NEC before moving to Burton Town Hall in the mid 1980’s.
Issued on behalf of: The International Brewing Awards
By: ShielPorter Communications
For information: Ros Shiel
07841 694137 / 01403 267971