One wouldn’t immediately associate Jacobs Crackers, sparkling mineral water, Tupperware jugs and plastic buckets with beer drinking, but that’s exactly what was involved when I took part as a judge in this year’s SIBA Midlands Beer Festival to find SIBA’s (The Society of Independent Brewers) regional Champion Beer. The invite came from the organiser, Sara Barton of Brewster’s Brewery. The festival was held in the Exhibition Hall at Melton Market, Melton Mowbray.

Before the official opening of the festival, six panels sat to decide each of six styles from 60 beers: Bitter, Premium Bitters, Strong Ales, Porters and Stouts, Milds and finally, Speciality Beers.  I was appointed to the Bitters’ panel with five other judges including Keith Williams, Chairman of Leicester CAMRA and our panel chair Nina Bates, MD of beer distributors Flying Firkin.

After all getting acquainted over a buffet lunch we all sat at the round table and got down to business. There were no less than twelve different beers in our category and we had to be as subjective about the last as the first – this would be no easy job! Beers were served up in the aforementioned jugs one by one and scores were given out of 10 for each criteria: aroma, appearance, flavour and aftertaste. After individual impressions, debate was encouraged to help come to a subjective decision. Between samples, palates were refreshed with spring water and dry crackers.

Twelve beers and over two hours later we had a winner (head and shoulders in front), but as it was a blind tasting, we didn’t have a clue what it was. Our winner went, with all the other category winners, to another table, which was panelled by all the individual panel chairs in order to sort out an overall winner. Another hour later and we had our winner – it was the one from our table and it was… Trammie Dodger, from Castle Rock Brewery.

Although the process may sound ‘anoraky’ (is that a word?) and boring, it was actually a very enjoyable experience and my thanks go out to Sara for a very well organised festival. The rest of the evening was spent chatting with the other panel members and taking a flying visit to Melton’s three GBG pubs before grabbing a fish ’n’ chip supper and heading home. Another great day out.

BoldBelvoir
11/01/04