November 19: Two winners of the British Guild of British Beer Writers Awards came together to brew a special beer which will be served to guests at this year’s awards ceremony.
David Jesudason, who scooped five awards for his writing at the 2023 event and head brewer for St Austell Brewery Georgina Young, who took away Brewer of the Year, came up with the idea to mark their wins with a unique seaweed-salted best bitter.
It was a British Guild of Beer Writers takeover at St Austell Brewery’s small batch in early November, with board member Charlotte Turner, who also works at St Austell Brewery, joining for the brew.
Together they brewed Kelp! – a 4.5% seaweed-salted best bitter for both the Celtic Beer Festival at St Austell Brewery on November 30th and the upcoming Guild of Beer Writer Awards on November 27th. A cask is also being made available at David’s local, The Shirkers Rest in New Cross, where he will be on hand to pull a pint or two of his beer on December 6th.
David said: “It was my first time brewing a cask beer and it was a real honour to brew on the same kit as the first ever Tribute, which started its life as Daylight Robbery.”
Taking inspiration from The Beatles’ album Help!, KELP! is a rich mahogany beer, brewed with crystal malts giving it rich raisin and toffee notes, as well as dark fruits from Bramling cross and Target hops. A kilogram of flaked Cornish seaweed was added into the four-barrel kit along with Cornish sea salt to give it a rounded, saline finish.
Georgina added: “The brew day was great fun and a brilliant way to celebrate our wins and also St Austell Brewery’s Cornish roots by using natural ingredients sourced in the county.
“The beer is reminiscent of rock pooling, the kelp adding a salty tang to the beer which will complement the menu on the night at the Guild awards. We can’t wait for everyone to try it.”
Media Contact: Charlotte Turner, charlotte.turner@staustellbrewery.co.uk
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