The Tapsters, Imbibe Live’s competition designed to find the best beer & cider team in the land, returns centre-stage following its successful debut in 2017.
‘Last year’s finalists displayed an unprecedented zeal about beer and cider,’ says beer sommelier, expert trainer and competition MC, Annabel Smith. ‘We want to raise the bar this year, and find the “best in class”.’
The victors will win an all-expenses paid trip to Cork in Ireland, home of Franciscan Well, Ireland’s no.1 craft beer brand, and its flagship IPA, Chieftain. As well as £500 spending money, the winners will enjoy a behind-the-scenes brewery tour, a beer-and-food matching dinner at the legendary Franciscan Well, and have a chance to explore Cork City.
Organised in partnership with UKHospitality and The Beer & Cider Academy, teams from pubs, bars, restaurants and groups are invited to enter online by 30 May.
‘This is a unique event as it takes a special kind of bar crew to be super knowledgeable about both beer and cider,’ says Imbibe Educator of the Year, Gabe Cook, The Ciderologist, one of the expert trainers.
Following an initial evaluation, the Semi-final will take place at The Beer & Cider Academy, with a day’s high-level training followed by a series of tasks to see which two teams will make it to the Final. A quick-fire University Challenge-style quiz plus a number of practical rounds including the infamous cider pour will decide the victors, with the audience and an expert panel chaired by award-winning writer Pete Brown awarding the points.
‘The teams can learn an incredible amount from our beer and cider trainers and ambassadors to take back to their venues. Last year we saw beer houses lapping up cider knowledge and vice versa,’ says Beer Ambassador, Mitch Adams, Borough Wines & Beers.
‘All stages of the competition were challenging for different reasons,’ says Sam Wheatley, captain of 2017 winners, Tappers Untapped, from the Pivovar Group. ‘We thoroughly enjoyed the experience.’
See here for further details.
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Editors’ Notes
- An essential date in the diary for drinks professionals, including buyers, managers, bartenders, publicans and sommeliers Imbibe Live enters its ninth year in 2018, taking place at London Olympia on 2-3 July and covering the entire spectrum of drinks categories.
- Visitors meet cutting edge exhibitors, network with key industry contacts and improve their drinks IQ with an unrivalled programme of masterclasses, tastings and theatre sessions.
- 2018 sees the return of the Beer & Cider Hub, with a collection of masterclasses from leading lights in the beer and cider world, including contributions from Beer Ambassador, Mitch Adams, of Borough Wines & Spirits, Cider Ambassador, Tom Oliver, of Oliver’s Cider & Perry, Beer Writer of the Year, Adrian Tierney-Jones, and leading French cider producer, Eric Bordelet.
- On the exhibition floor, The Hop & Apple Bar returns, with a range of smaller, boutique producers. For a full list of exhibitors, head to the website.
- Courtesy of Franciscan Well the victorious team and manager will win return flights from Heathrow to Cork plus overnight accommodation. They will enjoy a brewery tour, a tasting and dinner at the Franciscan Well brewpub, take part in a pub safari, and explore Cork City on the following day.
For all press enquiries, including images, please contact:
Amy Seabrook
Marketing Manager
E: amy@imbibe.com
T: 020 8910 7857
UKHospitality is the new trade body representing the UK’s hospitality sector, following a merger between the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) and the British Hospitality Association (BHA). UKHospitality represents over 700 companies, encompassing 65,000 venues in a sector that employs 2.9 million people