Skip to main content
21st September 2020

HAT TRICK OF WORLD BEER CROWNS FOR OSSETT BREWERY

Ossett's director of brewing Paul Spencer celebrates the World Beer Awards

Ossett Brewing Company is toasting triple acclaim in the fiercely fought World Beer Awards (WBA).

Three of the progressive West Yorkshire brewery’s core beer range won top UK awards in this highly prestigious contest – winning one gold and two silvers.

Silver King (4.3%abv) claimed gold in the WBA English Pale Ales category while premium Excelsius (5.2%abv) was runner up with silver. Further WBA acclaim came with stout Yorkshire Treacle (4.8% abv) snatching silver in the hotly contested Flavoured Porter/Stouts category.

Originally located at the back of Brewers Pride in Ossett, the brewery was founded by Bob Lawson in 1998. Back then Silver King and Excelsius formed the original Ossett line up and were truly pioneering beers in the UK cask ale revolution. Silver King won Ossett’s first national award in 2001 as a speciality beer and Excelsius was SIBA National Champion three times over two decades of brewing excellence for both brews.

Ossett owner Jamie Lawson said: “We are truly humbled by the recognition we have received for three of our core beers, especially for Silver King and Excelsius. To have core beers in our range that continue to win awards at a national level after two decades show that we have created classic recipes which are ageless.”

“These highly prestigious awards are a wonderful morale boost for the team following all the challenges faced in recent months to keep our beers flowing for collection and home delivery throughout the Covid-19 lockdown and since then supplying our own pubs, the free trade, wholesale partners and pub companies.”

The World Beer Awards (www.worldbeerawards.com) are global awards selecting the very best from 2,200 beers across nine internationally recognised styles and promoting the world’s best beers to consumers and trade around the globe. This year judging took place by Zoom, with beers shipped to judges around the world in black wrapping.

Chair of the judges, Adrian Tierney-Jones, said: “This year’s winners in the World Beer Awards demonstrate the verve and vitality of brewers and their wonderful beers around the globe.”

The WBA praised each Ossett beer in the judging comments:

Silver King:  “Clear and crisp, with classic subtle English hops and a balanced finish. Quite mild overall and a pleasing beer. Good carbonation and a long bitter finish; a well-balanced beer.”

 Excelsius: “Citrus nose, with hops well-integrated. Alcohol smooths out the flavour profile to give balance, and it has a good aftertaste. Malt-forward on the nose, and the juicy hops work well with the sweetness.”

Yorkshire Treacle: “Pours dark, with a peaty smokiness on the nose. A small bright hop character leans forwards, and amidst the smoke there’s also grapefruit and a peppery flavour moving through. There are some red fruit aromas, coffee undertones, chocolate, and more peat on the finish.”

During the coronavirus lockdown Ossett introduced both a local click and collect and a nationwide delivery service which remain available at www.ossett-brewery.co.uk or by telephone on 01924 261333. Beers can also be sampled from the reopened brewery taproom, which launched in November 2019.

Ends/ref: OssettPR21c- World Beer Awards

Notes to editors:

Ossett Brewing Company background

Ossett has invested more than £3m in recent years in brewing capacity, warehouse facilities and new packaging resources, together with the new SALT Beer Factory at Saltaire, Bradford. SALT is an award winning, hop forward, micro-brewery and entertainment venue in a Grade II Edwardian tram-shed at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage village.

Leading Ossett brands Yorkshire Blonde, Silver King, Brunette and Excelsius are sold across the Ossett Pub Company estate of 26 pubs alongside hundreds of free trade accounts and selected wholesalers. Ossett has won many national and regional awards since the brewery’s inception in 1998. Recently the business was hailed as Brewery of the Year 2020 in the Leeds and West Yorkshire Prestige Awards, which celebrate the small and medium-sized enterprises that have thrived in their highly competitive community during the past 12 months.        

For further information or photographs please contact:

Leanne Jackson
Group Marketing & Events Manager 01924 261333
leanne@ossett-brewery.co.uk

Or

Steve Hobman

Rhino PR/07751 578605/01829 250502

stevehobman@rhinopr.co.uk