Golden Pint Awards 2012

It's that time of year again when we recognise the best in the beery world. With so much dross around, it's only right that we recognise those that set the standard for others to follow. So, aftter much consideration; well, while I wait for my next pint to arrive, anyway, here's my tuppence worth.

Best UK Handpulled Beer: Hawkshead Windermere Pale

Runners Up: Oakham Citra, Magic Rock Curious NZ

Best UK Draught Beer: Summer Wine Oregon Pale

Runners Up: Magic Rock High Wire NZ, Kernel Table Beer

Best UK Bottled or Canned Beer: Kernel C.A.S.C

Best Overseas Bottle or Canned Beer: To Øl First Frontier

Best Overseas Draught Beer: Coalition Green Pig Fresh Hop Ale

Best UK Brewery: Allgates, Hawkshead, Kernel

Best Overseas Brewery: Coalition

Best Pumpclip or Label: Rukus Brewing Hoptimus Prime

Pub/Bar of the Year: Bailey’s Taproom

Beer Festival of the Year: Hare & Hounds, Holcombe Brook

Supermarket of the Year: Booths

Online Retailer of the Year: Beer Merchants

Best Beer Book or Magazine: Beer Atlas by Tim Webb

Best Beer Blog or Website: Zyphophile

Best Beer Twitterer: Eh? Don’t make me laugh

Food and Beer Pairing of the Year: Mexican Wild Bean Burrito & Alaskan Double Black IPA. For breakfast

In 2013 I’d most like to...Learn more and drink (even) more
And that concludes the voting for the Bury jury.

Comments

Post a comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Kimberley Club

Image
The Kimberley Workingmen’s Club in Stacksteads, Rossendale is the stuff of legend. Few, outside of those interested in such things, have heard of it and fewer still have visited it. Even many locals aren’t aware of its location and yet internet forums are full of people willing to travel across the country to visit a genuine slice of social history. Established in 1897, the KMC started out as an afterhours drinking venue for quarry workers. Legend has it that it was carried down into the valley on poles. There are various theories about its South African connections-there is a Kimberley Street close by, but what we do know is that surprisingly little has changed since those early days. Once you have got up the steep hill, over the dirt track and through the gate; you are confronted with two very small rooms. There’s probably just enough room to squeeze all 36 members in. This helps to explain why visitation is strictly by invitation only. We were privileged to enjoy a special Sunday o
Read more

A Tale Of Two Weekends

Image
The never ending tour of Manchester continues. With a lot of places either still closed completely or not opening early in the week, it's easier to do a direct comparison at weekends. So a week after my first visit, it was nose back to the grindstone as I hit the dusty trail once more. This Friday my colleagues in beer were to be the Whitefield Holts Bandit (remember him) and Lidl Paul. Fine upstanding gentlefolk. Or so they tell me. The first port of call was to be the Pilcrow. But finding ourselves arriving before opening time, it was decided to have an aperitif in the Crown & Anchor. This upmarket city centre Holts pub is ideally located for mopping up the shopping and city workers trade. Normally at this time it would already be buzzing but it was eerily quiet inside. A lot of staff are home working/still furloughed and the tram hadn't been packed with its usual throng of shoppers. However, there was something of a crowd spread outside enjoying the intermittent sun. T
Read more

Send The Buggers Back

Image
Confirmation comes today that Scottish & Newcastle are going to waste time and money and, even worse, piss me off by introducing new glassware emblazed with units of alcohol. And not just a few, but four million of the buggers by 2010. And then they intend to roll out the concept to other brands. Lovely. Without revisiting the farce surrounding the flawed concept of units, anyone can see this for what is it: a shameless act of appeasement to the anti-alcohol lobby. Unfortunately, no one seems to have told Mark Given, S&N UK brands director, that appeasement seldom works. The enemy merely scents blood. His lame excuse is however worth printing for the comedy factor alone: “Foster’s has long been at the forefront of dispense innovation and we wanted to create a glass to complement the brand’s unrivalled draught credentials.” Now my advice is to steal or smash these insidious vessels of the devil. Then S&N may get the message. However, those of you wishing to take the Gandhi
Read more