Taking place last night at Big Penny Social in London, The British Guild of Beer Writers celebrated the best work from beer, pub and cider journalists, bloggers, broadcasters and all-around communicators.
Entries were submitted into 16 separate categories for a chance to win an esteemed award and prize money, with judges reviewing 451 pieces of work. All categories were judged by the Guild’s independent panel, composed of David Jesudason, Beer Writer of the Year and Chair of Judges; Dr Chris O’Malley, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering – Newcastle University; Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery; Melissa Thompson, award-winning food writer; Rosalind Erskine, Food & Drink Editor at The Scotsman; Georgina Young, Brewing Director at St Austell Brewery; Nicky Kong, owner of The Cat in The Glass; Helen Anne Smith, co-editor of Burum Collective; Ross Clarke, acclaimed travel, food, and wine writer; and Natalya Watson, WSET Beer Educator.
Ruvani won the Gold award in the Best Communication about Sustainability in Beer and Pubs, Best Communication about Beer and Travel, as well as Best Communication about Diversity in Beer. She was also the author of the piece submitted by CAMRA Learn and Discover which won the Best Corporate Beer Communication Award.
Discussing this year’s awards winner, David Jesudason said,
‘No writer has improved more year on year than Ruvani. She shows how learning, listening and educating yourself are the three most important steps to being an accomplished journalist. Without Ruvani’s work, vital voices in the beer world would never have been heard’.
The first award of the night was for the Brewer of the Year, sponsored by SIBA, and was presented to Dominic Driscoll from Thornbridge Brewery.
The Full List of 2024 Award winners:
Brewer of the Year, sponsored by SIBA
Winner: Dominic Driscoll – Thornbridge Brewery
Best Corporate Beer Communication, sponsored by Brewhouse Brewing Co.
Gold: CAMRA Learn & Discover (Ruvani de Silva)
Best Beer Business Communicator, sponsored by the Guild
Gold: Will Hawkes
Silver: Rob MacKay
Best Communication about No and Low Alcohol Beer, sponsored by Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I
Gold: Mark Dredge
Silver: Emma Inch
Highly Commended: David Nilsen
Best Communication about Sustainability in Beer and Pubs, sponsored by Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company
Gold: Ruvani de Silva
Silver: Mark Dredge
Best Audio or Video Beer Communication, sponsored by St Austell Brewery
Gold: Emma Inch
Silver: Ben Gibbs
Highly Commended: Sam Grist
Best Short-Form Beer Writing, sponsored by the Guild
Gold: David Bailey
Silver: Katie Mather
Highly Commended: Mark Dredge
Best Technical Communication about Beer, sponsored by WSET
Gold: Charlotte Cook
Silver: Mark Dredge
Highly Commended: Anthony Gladman
The Susanna Forbes Award for Best Communication about Cider, sponsored by Aspall
Gold: Adam Wells
Silver: Jane Peyton
Best Citizen Beer Communicator, sponsored by Harvey’s Tom Paine
Gold: Jessamy Queree
Silver: Imran Rahman-Jones
Best Newcomer to Beer Communication, sponsored by Fuller, Smith & Turner
Gold: Anaïs Lecoq
Silver: Cliff Lucas
Best Self-Published Beer Writing, sponsored by the Guild
Gold: Pete Brown
Silver: Lloyd Lugsden
Best Communication about Diversity in Beer, sponsored by the Guild
Gold: Ruvani de Silva
Silver: Emma Inch
Highly Commended: Lucy Corne
Best Communication about Beer and Travel, sponsored by VISITFLANDERS
Gold: Ruvani de Silva
Silver: Matthew Curtis
Highly Commended: Michael Clarke
Best Communication about Pubs, sponsored by Shepherd Neame
Gold: Emma Inch
Silver: Rachel Hendry
Highly Commended: Pete Brown
Best Commissioned Beer Writing, sponsored by Greene King
Gold: Will Hawkes
Silver: Pete Brown
Highly Commended: Mark Dredge
Best Book about Beer or Pubs, sponsored by Heineken
Gold: Dr Christina Wade
Silver: Matthew Curtis
The Michael Jackson Award for Beer Writer of the Year
Winner: Ruvani de Silva
About the British Guild of Beer Writers
The British Guild of Beer Writers was formed in 1988 to help spread the word about beers, brewing and pubs. With close to 300 individual members and 60+ corporate members, its mission is “to improve the standards of beer writing and improve the public knowledge of beer and pubs.” Its members include the cream of the country’s beer communicators – be they journalists, authors, bloggers, producers, photographers, broadcasters, illustrators, or PR consultants. Corporate members of the Guild include brewers, brand owners, distributors, pub companies, and many suppliers associated with the brewing trade. www.beerguild.co.uk
The British Guild of Beer Writers is grateful to the following sponsors, whose support makes possible our annual awards and dinner: Aspall Cyder, Brewhouse & Kitchen, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC, Greene King, Harvey’s Brewery, HEINEKEN UK, Jump Ship Brewing, Shepherd Neame, St Austell Brewery, SIBA, VISITFLANDERS and WSET.