Meet your #BGBW26 judges
- Guild Secretary
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
We're thrilled to announce our judging panel for this year!
As with previous years, the panel brings together expertise from across the food and drink industry to evaluate the finest writing and communications in beer and cider – upholding the highest standards of independence and fairness.
The judges are (from left to right, top row then bottom row):
Steve Dass
Steve is a former brewer who started his career in Belgium within the organic beer sector before contributing to the rise of the UK's alcohol-free movement. He continues to consult within the AF beer space. Now co-founder of Curry Smugglers Snacks, he's bringing that same challenger mindset to South Asian snacking combining bold flavour, standout design, and culture-first thinking to shake up a category that's long been overlooked.
Aimee Harbison-Roper
Aimee is a publican and beer enthusiast based in Nottingham. After a varied hospitality career, she settled in at the Barrel Drop micro pub 8 years ago, starting out as pub manager and eventually taking over ownership. She is passionate about beer and inclusive beer venues; creating them and supporting them.
Mex Ibrahim
Mex is a food and drink advocate and co-founder of Women in the Food Industry, a leading social enterprise championing women across the UK food and drink sector. Through her writing, speaking and industry work she highlights the role women play in shaping the future of the drinks industry. She is a member of CAMRA and The Guild of Food Writers, where she previously judged the Drinks Writing category at the Guild's 2024 Awards. She also serves as a judge for the brand new Women in Food & Drink Awards, the Be Inclusive in Hospitality Spotlight Awards, and sits on the Advisory Board of New Food Magazine.
David Jesudason - Current Beer Writer of the Year
David is a British-Asian freelance journalist, writer and reporter who was named Beer Writer of the Year in 2023 and 2025 by the British Guild of Beer Writers. His award-winning book, Desi Pubs, has been called "one of the most exciting books about beer and pubs in recent years" and this year Radio 4's Food Programme dedicated an entire episode to exploring its incredible legacy. His long-reads on curry house awards, Avtar Johul Singh, micropubs and Wychwood Brewery have been featured in the Guardian, FT Weekend, Vittles & Pellicle.
Susan Low
A born-and-bred New Englander, Susan began professional life as a wine writer at Decanter and WINE magazines before moving into travel and food, with senior staff and editor positions at Business Traveler, the BBC, delicious magazine, Waitrose Food and others. Over the years she has freelanced for The Good Food Guide, Olive, Time Out, Forbes and a range of publications in the US, UK and Australia, and taught a food and drink journalism course at City University, London.
She is a copy editor and proofreader for major book publishers, an editorial consultant and is a local expert for Context Travel, showing visitors around the food hotspots of her adopted home city. As well as writing about food, she also grows the stuff, spending as much time as she can at her allotment and hopes one day to win a prize for her tomatoes.
Katrina Mirpuri
Katrina is a London-based journalist and presenter covering food, drink and culture. When she's not tracking down the city's best new martini spot, she can be found drinking ale in an old man pub in the company of a good crossword. She's fascinated by the rituals and trends behind what people drink and why they drink them.
Andy Parker - Current Brewer of the Year
Andy is an award-winning brewer and beer writer, founder and head brewer at Elusive Brewing. Awarded the British Guild of Beer Writers Brewer of the Year in 2022 & 2025, Andy is also South East Regional Chair of SIBA and member of the CAMRA Technical Advisory Group.
Lotte Peplow
Lotte serves as the Brewers Association's American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe and has done since 2019. She is a Certified Cicerone, accredited Beer Sommelier, international beer judge, beer writer, author, communicator, host of talks and tastings, event organiser and keen advocate of beer and food pairing. In 2022, Lotte was recognised by the Belgian brewer guild (Knighthood of the Brewer's Paddle) for services to the beer industry and was knighted as an honorary member. In 2023 she was voted No 47 in Drink Retailing magazine's 100 Most Influential People in Drinks. Based in London, she is a member of CAMRA's London tasting panel and is a firm believer that beer is for everyone.
Kristiane Westray
Kristiane is a freelance whisky communicator and author. She is the former editor at The Spirits Business and led the content team at Master of Malt, where she also trained as a WSET Spirits Educator. As a judge in the UK and US, she has tasted and assessed thousands of samples from whisky distilleries around the world. She was one of the first people in the UK to achieve the WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits.
An accomplished presenter, Kristiane has hosted numerous tastings, chaired panel discussions, co-hosted live broadcasts, as well as appearing as a whisky expert on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch. A passionate advocate for equity in whisky, her work on social media drives both education and inclusivity with the vision that whisky is for everyone. Kristiane is based in Brighton, UK, where she lives with her girlfriend and a tiny ginger cat. When she's not writing, talking or tasting, she can be found trail running across the South Downs.
Rod White
Named UK All Parliamentary Beer Group "Brewer of the Year," Rod has nearly 30 years of global brewing experience. His specialisms include technical auditing, flavour matching, recipe development and training. Rod has travelled widely within the brewing world including periods working in Germany, USA, the Czech Republic and Belgium. In 2003 he was awarded the Worshipful Company of Brewers Travel Scholarship to Bitburger brewery in Germany. Rod is a CIBD Master Brewer and a Brewing Academic at the University of Nottingham. Rod is best known in the UK for helping to set up the successful UK brewing apprentice scheme and has been heavily involved in recent years in rolling out training programs in the USA, China and Latin America. He is also part of the BBT consulting group and advises brewers around the world on various technical matters.