We’ve always enjoyed going to the SIBA Regional Beer competitions as it’s a great way of meeting brewers, other suppliers and having a bit of fun, and the SIBA Indie Beer Competition was no exception.

We don’t often get involved with judging at beer competitions, preferring to stay in the background, helping out and chatting to brewers. However, this year we decided that Rob and Hayley would get themselves on the judging panels whilst David as ever, would be staying in the background (well almost) doing the usual fetching and carrying, and the all-important chatting.

Judging started at 11.00am and went through to 3.00pm with Rob doing his part on the final judging panel to choose the overall champions of the competition. It’s a tough job but it had to be done and Rob and Hayley took to the task of tasting masterfully, as befits their wonderfully trained palates, whilst David concentrated on not spilling anything, which he accomplished with aplomb and a smile.

After the judging was complete, and the scores toted up and verified came the announcement of the awards and Hayley got the pleasure of handing out the Gold award for the Best Pale Beer to Harviestoun Brewery for Scheihallion cask Lager, and which went on to win the overall Silver for the competition as a whole (Rob actually scored it the highest but that’s sometimes how it goes).

Roll on the next beer competitions and more of the same, and lots more networking of the fun variety.