Search for best beer writer launched

Have you got what it takes to be the Beer Writer of the Year 2011 and win a cool £1,000?

The British Guild of Beer Writers has today announced the launch of its annual competition for beer writing, giving writers about beer the fantastic opportunity to enter their work in seven different categories, with one of the category winners to be named as the Beer Writer of the Year and receive the coveted Michael Jackson Gold Tankard Award.

The competition is open to writers, broadcasters, photographers, poets, illustrators, designers, webmasters and bloggers whose work has broadened the public’s knowledge of beer and pubs.

Guild chairman Tim Hampson said, “We received over 400 entries to the Awards last year – a record level that reflects the vibrancy of beer writing in the UK. We look forward to receiving another bumper crop of articles, books and blogs about beer this year, and to rewarding those whose work is judged the best.”

Nominations and entries are being sought for seven categories:

Molson Coors’ Award for Best Writing in National Publications - prize £1,000 & £500
For the best writing or broadcasting aimed at a general audience, published in the national (and international) press, consumer magazines, books, national television and radio.

Adnams Award for Best Writing in Regional Publications - prize £1,000 & £500
For the best writing or broadcasting aimed at a specific local or regional audience, published in local and regional newspapers, magazines, radio, television and CAMRA newsletters.

Fuller’s ESB Award for Best Writing for the Beer and Pub Trade - prize £1,000 & £500
For the best writing or broadcasting aimed at the brewing and pub industry, published in trade and company newspapers, newsletters, magazines, reports and websites.

Brains SA Gold Award for Best Use of Online Media - £1,000 & £500
For the best use of blogs, websites and social media, whether that be writing or use of other tools such as video or social networking.

Budweiser Budvar John White Travel Bursary - prize £1,000 plus trip to Czech Republic
For the best travel-themed beer writing (or beer-themed travel writing) or broadcasting. Entries can be from national, local or regional media, books, trade publications or online.

Shepherd Neame 1698 Award for Beer and Food Writing - prize £1,000
For the best writing or broadcasting on the subject of matching beer with food (an area formerly dominated by wine). Entries can be from national, local or regional media, books, trade publications or online.

Guild of Beer Writers Award for Corporate Communications – prize trophy to the winner
For the best writing/communication in a corporate environment. Entries can be for in-house or customer magazines, internal or external websites or corporate films/video blogs. This is a new award for 2011 and has been introduced to recognise the excellent work to promote beer which is produced by or on behalf of brewers, pub companies and other related organisations.

Winners to be announced at a prestigious beer banquet:

The winners will be announced at the British Guild of Beer Writers annual awards dinner. The event is being held on 1 December at the Park Plaza Riverbank in central London and will, as in previous years, be one of the beer industry’s ‘must attend’ events. The hotel’s chef will be working with experts from the Guild to create a beer and food matching menu to delight and challenge the 200 dinner guests.

The judges:

Judges are drawn from the worlds of journalism and brewing. Chair of judges is Simon Jenkins, winner of the 2010 Beer Writer of the Year title, who is joined on the panel by: Fiona Matthias, executive editor of The Sunday Telegraph; Martin Ross, journalist, writer and home brewer; Martin Kellaway, founder of Wharfebank Brewery in Leeds and Joanna Copestick, who has commissioned and published a number of books about beer.

How to enter:

Full details of how to enter will be found on the British Guild of Beer Writers website - www.beerwriters.co.uk/awards.php. Entries should be received by the closing date of Friday 9th September, and must have been published between 30 September 2010 and 31 August 2011.

FACTFILE:

Michael Jackson (27 March 1942 – 30 August 2007) who was known as the beer hunter, dedicated over 30 years to discovering, recording and then sharing the world’s finest beers in his numerous books, articles and TV broadcasts. He was the first Chairman of the British Guild of Beer Writers.

www.beerwriters.co.uk