Inch’s Cider has become the latest sponsor of this year’s Guild Awards, taking the new Best Communication about Cider category. The prize fund for this award is now increased to £1,500, contributing to a highest-ever pot of £19,500 for the awards overall.
The Guild Awards closed to entries earlier this month and submissions are now being judged across a record 16 categories. The Cider category was added this year, following the decision to welcome cider writers and communicators within the Guild.
Inch’s Cider is made with apples grown within 40 miles of the mill in Herefordshire and is one of the newest ciders in the HEINEKEN cider family. Joanna Dring, head of media for HEINEKEN UK said: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring this new award from the Guild of Beer Writers, and to see cider writers recognised alongside those communicating about beer and pubs. There’s some wonderful writing and other forms of communication about cider and we look forward to finding out who will take the honours at the Awards presentation in November.”
Chair of the Guild, Emma Inch, said: “We’re grateful to Inch’s Cider for supporting the Cider Award, which enables us to offer both Gold and Silver prizes in the first year of this new category.
“Thanks to all our sponsors for their support for our Awards. We have more categories than ever before, and a prize fund of close to £20,000, which we’re tremendously proud of and we know our winners and runners up will appreciate.”
She added: “We’re thrilled to be returning to One Great George Street for our Awards presentation and dinner, which has become a ‘must attend’ in the industry calendar, with bars provided by our sponsor brewers, wonderful food matched with beers, and the company of around 200 Guild members and industry friends.”
After initial judging, the Guild will publish a shortlist for all categories in November, and winners and runners up for each will be unveiled at the Awards Dinner on 23 November – for which tickets are now on sale. One category winner will go on to win the overall Beer Writer of the Year Award and the Guild also will also name its Brewer of the Year, sponsored by SIBA, based on votes cast by Guild members.
Judging is carried out by a panel of writers, communicators and industry experts chaired by Pete Brown, the Guild’s current Beer Writer of the Year.