Cheers to Beer
2013 MTT Yorkshire Beer Awards
The cream of the Yorkshire beer scene descended on Coopers in Guiseley on Yorkshire Day, August the 1st for the inaugural Market Town Taverns Yorkshire Beer Awards.
The event was a first for Knaresborough based pub chain, Market Town Taverns who created the Yorkshire Beer Awards out of a passion for beer & the pride they have in Yorkshire’s brewing heritage.
Credibility & transparency were key to this celebration of local pub craft as 105 Yorkshire based breweries were invited to submit their beers for a blind tasted judging session. Three finalists in each category were decided on by a judging panel which consisted of industry experts, Annabel Smith (Cask Marque), Greg Mulholland (Chair of the Parliamentary Save the Pub Group and MP for Leeds North West), Gavin Frost (beer blogger), Ben Hodginkinson (James Clays) and Simon Midgley (Managing Director of Market Town Taverns). There was manual voting in all 15 MTT pubs across North & West Yorkshire and online voting, which saw votes cast as far afield as St Lucia & New Zealand. In total there were nearly 2,000 votes cast across 19 different countries.
Fittingly enough the awards ceremony & presentation evening took place on Yorkshire Day where nearly 100 members of the local & national brewing community attended the event which was supported by fellow Yorkshire businesses Rudding Park, Jet2, Harrogate Spring Water, Leeds Rhinos & Yorkshire Tea. The evening was hosted by beer sommelier, award winning beer writer & TV presenter Marverine Cole and the evening raised over £2500 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
‘ Our aim was to create an annual event which would embrace & promote Yorkshire beers & brewing and the strong link Market Town Taverns has with the Yorkshire brewing community ‘ commented Simon Midgley ,Managing Director of Market Town Taverns ‘ The response from our customers, brewers & the industry as a whole has been amazing and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event being even bigger & better ‘ he added.
The overall MTT 2013 Yorkshire Beer Award Champion Beer ‘ Saltaire Pride’ brewed by Saltaire Brewery will be available in all Market Town Taverns outlets over the coming weeks.
For more information please contact :
Layla Martin – Market Town Taverns Marketing Manager
Tel : 01423 866100 / 07931 254461
E : layla@markettowntaverns.co.uk
Website : www.mttyorkshirebeerawards.co.uk / www.markettowntaverns.co.uk
Category nominees & winners
2013 MTT Yorkshire Beer Awards
Best Bitter
Frothingham Best – Great Newsome Brewery
Joshua Jane – Ilkley Brewery
WINNER :Saltaire Pride – Saltaire Brewery
Pale / Golden Beer
Citra – Great Heck Brewing Company
Deception – Abbeydale Brewery
Farmers Blonde – Bradfield Brewery
WINNER : Citra – Great Heck Brewing Company
Dark Beer
Black Maria – Old Bear Brewery
Londinium – Rooster’s Brewing Company
Riggwelter – Black Sheep Brewery
WINNER : Londinium – Rooster’s Brewing Company
IPA Beer
Fort Smith – Rooster’s Brewing Company
Stateside IPA – Saltaire Brewery
Yakima IPA – Great Heck Brewing Company
WINNER : Stateside IPA – Saltaire Brewery
Speciality Beer
Bad Kitty – Brass Castle Brewery
Imperial Russian – Black Sheep Brewery
Tabatha – Partners Brewery
WINNER : Imperial Russian – Black Sheep Brewery
Craft Keg
Humber Light – Wold Top Brewery
Saltaire Gold – Saltaire Brewery
Yorkshire Blackout – The Great Yorkshire Brewery
WINNER : Saltaire Gold – Saltaire Brewery
Best Newcomer
WINNER : Magic Rock Brewing Company
Overall Winner of the 2013 MTT Yorkshire Beer Awards
Saltaire Brewery