Beer author and film-maker Garrett wins top prize

The awards received 190 entries across 16 categories – the highest number ever – with a record prize fund of £19,500, shared between 27 gold and silver award winners. 

On his way to the top honour, Garrett won gold in the categories for Pub Communications, Books and Video Communications – the latter with Brad Evans, his co-presenter on the Craft Beer Channel​ on YouTube. His book, A Year in Beer​, was published earlier this year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and he also contributes regularly to beer magazines and websites such as Good Beer Hunting​.

Exceptionally hard

Pete Brown, chair of judges for this year’s awards, which took place on Wednesday 23 November at One Great George Street in Westminster, said: “Choosing an overall Beer Writer this year was exceptionally hard, but Jonny was the judges’ choice because of the range of his work, from print articles to website posts, films and a new book.

“Whatever he does, he has complete mastery of his topic, thanks to painstaking research, and is able to communicate it to beer nerds or a generalist audience.  If we ever get a beer programme on mainstream TV, Jonny should definitely make it.

Brown was joined on the judging panel by Mitch Adams, beer sommelier and beer buyer at Euroboozer; Molly Davis, head of communications at the BII; Claire Dodd, travel and drinks writer; Matt Eley, communications consultant and former editor of Inapub​ magazine; Fergus Fitzgerald, production director at Adnams; Kelly McCarthy CBII, licensee of the Old Sun Inn in Yorkshire; John Mitchinson, co-founder of crowdfunding publishers Unbound; Ned Palmer, cheesemonger and author and Michelle Perrett, industry journalist and communications expert.

Elusive title

The Brewer of the Year title, sponsored by SIBA, was presented to Andy Parker, founder and head brewer at Elusive Brewing, who won the highest number of votes in a poll of Guild members.

Presenting the Award, Guild chair Emma Inch said: “Andy’s passion for brewing shows in every beer he produces, and what ends up in the glass is always a shining example of its style. He hasn’t forgotten his homebrew roots, running an annual competition that gives the winner a platform to brew their own beer, and benefit from his time and knowledge as a mentor.”