The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is heralding its second BeerX event, held earlier this month in Sheffield, as a triumph, with attendance by industry delegates and consumers well ahead of last year.
More than 800 delegates visited BeerX over four days, listening to the 25 speeches and seminars delivered by high-profile figures and experts drawn from across the brewing and wider industry, visiting the 100 exhibiting suppliers and celebrating the success of the bewers winning an award for their beer or their business skills.
The Festival of Beer, which ran alongside BeerX, attracted 2,500 members of the public. Some 350 beers, all of them winners of SIBA regional beer competitions, were on sale over the course of the festival. On Saturday, the final night, tickets to the festival sold out by early evening and all the beer had been drunk by the event’s close at 11.00 pm. Live screening of the Six Nations rugby matches and a performance by popular Sheffield band The Everley Pregnant Brothers added to the festival’s appeal – though the main attraction was undoubtedly the beer.
SIBA chief executive Julian Grocock said, “BeerX is a unique in its representation of all facets of British brewing from suppliers of beer ingredients to brewers, licensees and, finally, the end consumer.
“This complexity, combined with the sheer numbers involved, makes staging BeerX a challenge, so we are delighted that it was such a success, which is a testament to the outstanding event management capabilities within the SIBA team.
“ Feedback received so far from delegates, exhibitors and consumers has been overwhelmingly positive and we are in no doubt that BeerX 2014 achieved its goal of presenting a successful, vibrant, confident British brewing industry to a diverse audience of beer-lovers.”
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Issued on behalf of: Society of Independent Brewers
By: ShielPorter Communications
For information: Ros Shiel
07841 694137 / 01403 267971