The GBPA, which took place on Tuesday (19 September) at Victoria Warehouse Manchester, included an ‘Independent Craft Beer Bar’, featuring six breweries with seven gold winning beers on draught, plus a wide selection of gold-medal winning bottle and canned beers too.
“The SIBA Independent Beer Awards seek to highlight the very best beer from UK independent breweries and part of this is giving these award-winning breweries the opportunity to showcase their brews at a variety of events,” said SIBA chief executive Andy Slee.
GBPA masterclass
He continued: “We are delighted to be working with the Great British Pub Awards to present our members’ beers and I look forward to inviting this year’s pub winners for a celebratory beer at our bar.”
SIBA also presented a masterclass for attendees on IPA style varieties, the tasting session, titled ‘Beer Masterclass: understanding modern IPA beer styles’, was led by SIBA head of comms and beer sommelier Neil Walker.
The masterclass included a tasting of three popular IPA styles, their unique aromas, flavours and appearances - and how you should describe them to your customers.
Super hazy, super hoppy
From aromatic, soft, fruity New England IPA, which is super hazy and super hoppy, to West Coast IPAs, which are all about high bitterness and big citrus flavours, as well as the one which started it all... English IPA - typified by classic English hop flavours balanced by a sturdy backbone of malt.
What was available at the GBPA x SIBA Independent Craft Beer Bar
- Neckstamper - Mizzle 6% NEIPA - gold winner, best kegged IPA
- Neckstamper - Swankey Swipes 2.8% Table Beer - gold winner, best kegged no and low ABV
- Hops Union - Bloody Nora 4.7% Blood Orange IPA - gold winner, best kegged specialty IPA
- Geipel Brewing - Pilsner 4.6% - gold winner, best kegged lager
- Geipel Brewing - Hefeweizen 5.2% - gold winner, best kegged wheat beer
- Salt Beer Factory - Ikat 8% DDH Double IPA - Gold winner, best kegged double/ triple IPA
- Loch Lomond - Silkie Stout 5% - gold winner, best kegged stout/porter
- Big Trip Brewery - Beautiful Things 4.2% Session NEIPA - a brand-new Manchester brewery SIBA is showcasing
Plus more independent craft beers in bottles and cans.
