Women in Beer® Announces Shortlist for the 2026 edition of the Women in Beer® Awards
Women in Beer® has announced the shortlist for this year’s awards, celebrating the women who shape the beer industry.
Nominations were submitted in 10 separate categories, including the brand-new Women’s Collective of the Year, while the 11th category’s winner was selected solely by the judging panel.
All entries were judged by the Women in Beer® independent panel, comprising Melissa Cole (Beer Judge, Journalist, Broadcaster, and 2025 Women in Beer Industry Icon), Paul Jones (Owner and MD at Cloudwater Brew Co.), Sophie de Ronde (Head Brewer at Burnt Mill Brewery), Vinny Rosario (Co-founder and Head of Production at Moonwake Beer Co.), Helen Anne Smith (Founder and Co-editor at Burum Collective), and Lucy Do (Founder of The Dodo Micropub).
The finalists in each category are:
Brewer of the Year - Sponsored by SIBA
Laura Gillott - Thornbridge Brewery
Kate Hyde - Hand Brew Co.
Red Kellie - First & Last Brewery
Georgina Young - St Austell Brewery
Rising Star Award - Sponsored by Simpsons Malt
Chloe Farrer - Brewpoint
Aureja Jupp - Pixie Brewing
Sophie Millard - The Britannia Inn
Shannon Weir - Bullhouse Brew Co
Communicator of the Year - Sponsored by Crisp Malt
Rachel Auty
Laura Hadland
Elizabeth Townsend
Natalya Watson
Entrepreneur of the Year - Sponsored by Thomas Fawcett & Sons
Gunikka Ahuja - Bunta Beer
Sasha Miller - The Cotton Mill
Gill Sherwin - Best of British Beer
Sarah Watts - The Pour House
Beer Expert of the Year - Sponsored by Yakima Chief Hops
Alix Blease - Lallemand Brewing
Ruth Mitchell - Charles Faram
Nikki Rowe - Stone Daisy Brewery
Natalya Watson - WSET
Mentor of the Year - Sponsored by Murphy & Son
Robyn Bell - Cloudwater Brew
Tracy Fisher - Brewpoint
Genevieve Upton - Cara Technology
Natalya Watson - WSET
Industry Champion of the Year - Sponsored by eKeg
Ruth Evans - BFBI
Ruth Mitchell - Charles Faram
Jules Gray - Hop Hideout
Catherine Webber - Attic Brew Co and Brum Beer Babs
Beer Creative of the Year - Sponsored by WHC Lab
Maxine Fursdon - Ideal Day
Naomi Hayward - Indie Rabble Brew Co and A Hoppy Place
Nanna Koekoek - Pretty Decent Beer Co
Kate Stevens - Rooster’s Brewing Co
Hospitality Leader of the Year - Sponsored by BBPA
Jules Gray - Hop Hideout
Naomi Hayward - Indie Rabble Brew Co and A Hoppy Place
Maryann O'Connor - The Green Goddess
Women’s Collective of the Year - Sponsored by CAMRA
Glasladies Beer Society
Manchester Crafty Beer Girls
No Half Measures - Nottingham
Women on Tap CIC
Women in Beer 2026 - Industry Icon (judge’s choice) - Sponsored by Charles Faram
Lotte Peplow
Genevieve Upton
Lily Waite
Jaega Wise
Georgina Young
The winners in each category will be announced on the 20th of October 2026 during the awards ceremony at Cloudwater Brew Co. Taproom in Manchester.
Tickets are on sale here, with a ‘pay what you can’ option for individual tickets, to make the event accessible to as many people as possible.
About Women in Beer®:
Women in Beer® is a community. We are a group for women who like good beer and good company. We meet up in local pubs, attend events and festivals, visit breweries, and learn from other women in the brewing industry. We’re here to support women in their beer journey, whether it’s their passion, their career, or they are just looking for a new hobby.
Our activities are:
The Group
The Festival (WiB Fest)
The Mentorship Programme
The Awards
Website and social media
Instagram: @womeninbeeruk
Facebook: /womeninbeer
Bluesky: @womeninbeer.bsky.social
Images:
For further information please contact Amelie Tassin via press@tipplemarketing.com.
Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.
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