Innis & Gunn swept the board at this year's International Beer Competition (IBC) by winning the Supreme Champion prize plus three gold medals for its Oak Aged Beer. Despite only being launched last year, the beer won gold in the Strong Ale and Experimental & Specialist Beer categories at the awards, organised by the Morning Advertiser's sister paper Off Licence News and sponsored by Safeway and JD Wetherspoon. And Oak Aged Beer was also judged Safeway Consumer Beer of the Year, a spin-off competition voted by the public. The 6.6% abv beer is described as super-smooth with rich, creamy vanilla flavourings. It is brewed under contract then matured in virgin oak by distiller William Grant. As well as being bowled over by the taste, judges were also impressed by the beer's "stylish" purple and gold bottle. Innis & Gunn managing director Dougal Sharp said: "When I first tasted this beer as a rough sample coming out of a cask, I knew it was so unique and so special we had to develop packaging that would complement and support the premium beer that we had discovered." The IBC attracted a record 360 beers and ciders from across the world. The brands were judged 60% on taste in a blind tasting and 40% on packaging by a panel of former brewers, beer buyers, independent retailers and the media. The other gold winners: Oakham JHB Standard Ales, up to 4.2% abv Samuel Adams Light Standard Lagers, up to 4.2% abv Voll-Damm Strong Lagers, 4.2% to 8% abv Fuller's Golden Pride Strong Beers, above 8% abv Van Diest Fruli Strawberry Beer Fruit Beers Hoegaarden Witbier Wheat Beers Chimay White Abbey and Trappist Beers St Peter's Cream Stout Stouts & Porters Samuel Adams Winter Lager Seasonal Beers Aspall Dry Suffolk Cider Ciders Cheers Low-alcohol and Non-alcoholic Beers.
