The finalists in the fourth annual Scottish Beer Awards have been announced with 37 breweries and 200 beers brewed in Scotland progressing to the finals of the national competition.
(Full list of finalists at the end of the article)
The awards programme is the largest independent assessment of the Scottish brewing sector ever created and the results provide an important indicator into the quality of Scottish beer and the financial performance of Scotland’s booming brewing businesses.
297 beers were tasted blind by 28 judges which include many of the UK’s foremost brewing and beer experts. Samples were marked in a carefully designed process which allocates points across a range of quality standards.
High volume brewers with a large product range have collected the highest number of finalist places with many smaller new breweries also pushing to the front. Brewdog lead the way with 27 places which includes 13 beers from the OverWorks sours plant. Fierce Brewing have 20 places, Stewart Brewing 19 places, Drygate and Williams Brothers have 14 places each and Innis & Gunn have secured 13 places. Smaller breweries, Overtone Brewing, Barney’s Beer and 71 Brewing have also performed very well with double digit places.
After a record high volume of entries this year, only 60% of the products entered were marked high enough to progress to the finals.
Chair of the judging panel, Hilary Jones commented;
“We’ve welcomed a fantastic range of beers into this year’s competition. After a very rigorous blind tasting session, the beers that our most professional judging panel scored most highly, clearly showcase the best of Scottish brewing. The quality of Scottish beer just gets better and better! On behalf of the entire judging panel, who had no idea what products they were tasting on the day, I congratulate the many breweries who have taken part in the year’s competition and who are announced as finalists today.”
The tasting competition is also supported by 58 written submissions from brewing businesses which have been judged in day of business judging in areas including business performance, export, marketing and product development.
5 breweries have been selected in the hotly contended Breakthrough Brewery of the Year category and these are 71 Brewing of Dundee, Campervan and Overtone of Edinburgh and Merchant City Brewing of Glasgow.
Since inception, the Scottish Beer Awards has been sponsored by ALDI who this year celebrate their 25th year in Scotland and who recently collected the coveted ‘Scottish Sourcing Business of the Year Award’ at the 2019 Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards.
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director for ALDI Scotland, commented;
“We are thrilled to continue our support as headline sponsors of the Scottish Beer Awards for the fourth year running. Scotland’s breweries continue to produce more and more high-quality beer and we’re very proud at ALDI to be involved in supporting the growth of the brewing sector in Scotland. We wish all the finalists the very best of luck in this year’s competition and look forward to celebrating the winners in September.”
All medal winners will be announced at an awards celebration and gourmet beer-paired dinner on Thursday 19 September 2019 at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.
The awards programme created and designed by KD Media in 2015, has this year appointed two new nominated charities for 2019. These are The BEN, the Benevolent Society of the Licensed Trade of Scotland and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, set up by rugby legend Doddie Weir to help improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neuron Disease.
The awards programme is the largest independent assessment of the Scottish brewing sector ever created and the results provide an important indicator into the quality of Scottish beer and the financial performance of Scotland’s booming brewing businesses.
297 beers were tasted blind by 28 judges which include many of the UK’s foremost brewing and beer experts. Samples were marked in a carefully designed process which allocates points across a range of quality standards.
The winners will be announced on Thursday 19 September 2019 at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.
The Finalists:
Scottish Brewery of the Year sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Company
BrewDog
Fierce Beer
Stewart Brewing
West Brewery
Williams Bros Brewing Co.
Breakthrough Brewery
71 Brewing
Campervan Brewing
Merchant City Brewing
Overtone Brewery
Brewer of the Year sponsored by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals
The winner of this award will be announced at the dinner.
Growth Business of the Year
71 Brewing
Bellfield Brewery
CCB Ltd (Keith, Spey Valley, Alechemy)
Coul Brewing Company
Fierce Beer
St Andrews Brewing Company
The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co.
Exporter of the Year
Belhaven Brewery
CCB Ltd (Keith, Spey Valley, Alechemy)
Stewart Brewing
The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Excellence in Marketing
71 Brewing
Barney’s Beer
Belhaven Brewery
Bellfield Brewery
Brewgooder
Fierce Beer
The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
West Brewery
Product Development Team of the Year sponsored by Muntons
71 Brewing
Bellfield Brewery
Drygate Brewing Co
Fierce Beer
Loch Leven Brewery
Merchant City Brewing Co.
Stewart Brewing
Top Out Brewery
Wasted Degrees Brewing
Williams Bros Brewing Co.
Best Beer Experience sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
71 Brewing
Born in the Borders Brewery
Campervan Brewery
Drygate Brewing Co
Edinburgh Beer Factory
Fierce Beer
Tennent Caledonian Breweries UK
West Brewery
Windswept Brewing Co
Best Beer Event
BrewDog AGM
BrewDog Airlines
six°north Midsummer Beer Happening
LIDL Isle of Ale
TASTE COMPETITION
Best Lager
Cashmere Lager ; Overtone Brewing
Craft Lager; Bellfield Brewery
Craft Lager; Williams Bros Brewing Co
DRK; West Brewery
Franz Lager; Stewart Brewing
Innis & Gunn Lager Beer; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Marshall Amped Up Lager; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Munich Red; West Brewery
Paolozzi; Edinburgh Beer Factory
Schiehallion; Harviestoun Brewery
St Mungo; West Brewery
Stewart’s Lager; Stewart Brewing
Tennents Lager; Tennent Caledonian Breweries
Tennents Gluten Free Lager; Tennent Caledonian Breweries
Weekend Hooker; Brew Toon
Wild WEST; West Brewery
Best Pilsner
71 Lager Dundonian Pilsner; 71 Brewing
Bearface Lager; Drygate Brewing Co
Bellfield Bohemian Pilsner; Bellfield Brewery
Craft Pilsner; Belhaven Brewery
Fierce Gluten Free Pilsner; Fierce Beer
Lost Lager; BrewDog
Peloton Pilsner; six°north
Pilsner; Merchant City Brewing Co
Stone’s Throw; Barney’s Beer
Best Pale Ale sponsored by Kegstar
Cascadian East; Stewart Brewing
Cloud Fall; 71 Brewing
Day Shift; Fierce Beer
Ferry Fair; The Ferry Brewery
Hollyrood; Stewart Brewing
Hop Fiction; BrewDog
Ka Pai; Stewart Brewing
New Millennium; Born in the Borders Brewery
Radical Road Reverse; Stewart Brewing
Single Hop 03: Simcoe; Fierce Beer
Talking Head; Williams Bros Brewing Co
The Ridge; Harviestoun Brewery
Vagabond Pale Ale; BrewDog
Vélo; six°north
Best IPA sponsored by Bairds Malt
APA; Windswept Brewing Co
Ax Man; Drygate Brewing Co
Bellfield Lawless Village IPA; Bellfield Brewery
Big City; Lidl GB and Stewart Brewing
BIG Volcano; Barney’s Beer
Bright Lights; Lidl GB and Stewart Brewing
Brut IPA; Overtone Brewing
Brut IPA; Top Out Brewery
Dynamo; six°north
Endeavour; six°north
Gladeye IPA; Drygate Brewing Co
Harviestoun IPA; Harviestoun Brewery
Marshall Full Stack IPA; Williams Bros Brewing Co
New World IPA; Merchant City Brewing Co
Pale Keith; Keith Brewery
Punk IPA; BrewDog
Radical Road; Stewart Brewing
Stillman’s IPA; Spey Valley Brewery
Tennents Export IPA; Tennent Caledonian Breweries
Tin Man; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Twisted Thistle IPA; Belhaven Brewery
Untitled; Edinburgh Beer Factory
Best Session Beer
Belhaven Best; Belhaven Brewery
Bellfield Session Ale; Bellfield Brewery
Birds & Bees; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Dead Pony Club; BrewDog
Easy Shift; Fierce Beer
Extra Pale Ale; Barney’s Beer
Green Monkey Wheat; Reids Gold Brewing Company
Harvest Moon; Born in the Borders Brewery
Hurricane; Windswept Brewing Co
Perfect Storm; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Session IPA; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Session IPA; Stewart Brewing
Seven Peaks; Drygate Brewing Co
Summer Cloud; Born in the Borders Brewery
Best British Style Ale sponsored by Wolffe
40/- Fine; The Ferry Brewery
80’s Revival; Coul Brewing Company
Belhaven Scottish Ale; Belhaven Brewery
David’s Not So Bitter; Spey Valley Brewery
Good Ordinary Pale Ale; Barney’s Beer
GPA; West Brewery
Nimbus; Altas Brewing Company
Ossian; Innis & Gunn Inveralmond Brewery
Outlaw King; Loch Leven Brewery
St Giles; Stewart Brewing
Best Amber or Dark Ale
5am Saint; BrewDog
Bastard Amber; Barney’s Beer
Broken Dial; Harviestoun Brewery
Daracha; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Don’t Date Robots!; Drygate Brewing Co
Ferry Alt; The Ferry Brewery
Five Sisters; Alechemy
Futurism; Edinburgh Beer Factory
King Slayer; Loch Leven Brewery
Lia Fail; Innis & Gunn Inveralmond Brewery
Pavlov’s Dog; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Red Rye; Barney’s Beer
Red Skelp; Dalrannoch Brewing
Smokey Jack; The Ferry Brewery
The Jail Ale; Brew Toon
Tornado; Windswept Brewing Co
Unit 1 Red Ale; Merchant City Brewing Co
Wolf; Windswept Brewing Co Ltd
Best Porter sponsored by Barr Printers
Cafe Racer; Fierce Beer
Capital Porter; Barney’s Beer
Coffee Porter; Windswept Brewing Co
Midnight Sun; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Thomas Miller 1875; The Ferry Brewery
Zombie Cake; BrewDog
Best Stout
1806; Windswept Brewing Co Ltd
8 Ball Stout; Reids Gold Brewing Company
Breakfast Toast; 71 Brewing
Cauld Reekie; Stewart Brewing
Chocolate Stout; Merchant City Brewing Co
Dark Skies; Drygate Brewing Co
HBC472 Stout; Overtone Brewing
Moose Mousse; Fierce Beer
Not Your Buddy, Guy!; Stewart Brewing
Old Engine Oil; Harviestoun Brewery
Orinoco ; Drygate Brewing Co
Scottish Oat Stout; Belhaven Brewery
Tennents Export Stout; Tennent Caledonian Breweries
Best Amplified Beer sponsored by Cara Technology
Arrakis; Drygate Brewing Co
Auld Toon; six°north
Chapeau; six°north
Imperial Cafe Racer; Fierce Beer
Jaggery Stout; Merchant City Brewing Co
Marshall Jim’s Treble; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Marshmallow Milk Stout; Barney’s Beer
The Night Land; Dead End Brew Machine
Best Sour Beer
Aplomb Bomb; BrewDog OverWorks
Cosmic Crush Cherry; BrewDog OverWorks
Cosmic Crush Peach; BrewDog OverWorks
Cosmic Crush Quince; BrewDog OverWorks
Cosmic Crush Raspberry; BrewDog OverWorks
Cosmic Crush Tropical; BrewDog OverWorks
Dream Catcher; BrewDog OverWorks
Electric Blue; BrewDog OverWorks
Exotic Burst; Campervan Brewery
Ferry Gose; The Ferry Brewery
Gooseberry Fool; BrewDog OverWorks
Hedgerow Sour; Stewart Brewing
Limoncello Soul; Brew Toon
Panavision Pink; BrewDog OverWorks
Rhus; BrewDog OverWorks
Sleekit Sour; BrewDog OverWorks
Very Berry; Fierce Beer
Wave Machine; BrewDog OverWorks
Best Fruit Forward
Che Guava; Williams Bros Brewing Co
Cranachan Killer; Fierce Beer
Disco Forklift Truck; Drygate Brewing Co
Elvis Juice; BrewDog
Mango Unchained; Brew Toon
Raspberry Carronade; Brew Toon
Raspberry Sun; Reids Gold Brewing Company Ltd
Rubus; Windswept Brewing Co Ltd
Rubus; ALDI and Williams Bros Brewing Co
The Hoppy Botanist; Campervan Brewery
Best Juicy or Hazy Beer
4-Cs IPA; Overtone Brewing
Aqualung; Stewart Brewing
Dark Side of the Moon; Campervan Brewery
DIPA; Stewart Brewing
IPA Comet/Waimea; Overtone Brewing
Late Shift; Fierce Beer
Mandarina Sky; 71 Brewing
NEIPA Here Nor There; 71 Brewing
NEIPA Vic Secret; Overtone Brewing
Pale El Dorado; Overtone Brewing
Pale Mosaic /Amarillo; Overtone Brewing
Voss IPA; Stewart Brewing
West Coast IPA; Overtone Brewing
Best Barrel Aged Beer
Angels Be Damned; St Andrews Brewing Company
BA Maple Very Big Moose; Fierce Beer
Bear; Windswept Brewing Co
Blood Red Sky; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Bourbon Ba Imperial Cafe Racer; Fierce Beer
Bourbon Barrel Porter; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Bring Out The Imp; Alechemy
Close Quarters; Drygate Brewing Co
Glenfarclas Cask Aged Jaggery Stout; Merchant City Brewing Co
Kindred Spirits; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Looney Brew; The Ferry Brewery
Ola Dubh 12 year; Harviestoun Brewery
Paradox Islay; BrewDog
Rites of Passage ; Drygate Brewing Co
Speyside Oak Aged Blonde; Belhaven Brewery
The Original; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Vanishing Point 02; The Innis & Gunn Brewing Co
Best Speciality Beer
Coconut Cookie; Reids Gold Brewing Company
Coconut Very Big Moose; Fierce Beer
Convergence #1 ; Drygate Brewing Co
Cool Beans; Barney’s Beer
First World Problems; Stewart Brewing
Funk x Punk; BrewDog OverWorks
Lemon Libertea; Brew Toon
Northern Sinner; Brew Toon
People Like Buns; Fierce Beer
Rwandan Coffee IPA; Overtone Brewing
Ten Ton Truck Vietnamese Coffee Edition; BrewDog
Yucatan Honey Wheat Wine; Top Out Brewery
