Geipel Brewing in North Wales take home coveted award
After Monty’s brewery in Powys took home the Silver in CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition last year, a different Welsh brewer went one better this year.
North Wales’ Geipel Brewing struck gold in this year’s judging at Norwich Beer Festival, with their golden wheat beer, Hefeweizen – the first Welsh brewery to ever take the title.
Geipel, which primarily focuses on brewing lagers, is run by American Eric Geipel, who developed a passion for brewing after a work trip to Burton-on-Trent. In the midst of losing his job after the 2008 financial crash he began to brew beers at home.
Firmly bitten by the bug, he set up his microbrewery on the border of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. The brewery is going from strength to strength, and follows a 500-year-old German brewing law, where beer is made from just four ingredients: barley, hops, water and yeast.
This coveted award recognises the very best bottle-conditioned beers available in the UK. With rigorous blind tastings and nominations spanning two years of regional heats and national rounds, it remains one of the most respected accolades in the industry.
Christine Cryne, CAMRA Judging Coordinator, said:
“This year, the competition was particularly stiff with the feedback from the judges on the final panel saying that every single beer assessed was worthy of their place; the quality was thought to be excellent. Hefeweizen was described by the judges as: ‘everything you would expect of a wheat beer’. It pipped two past winners to gain the top spot: Fuller’s Vintage Ale , a full flavoured strong amber ale, and Durham’s Temptation, a robust, complex imperial Russian stout”.
Eric Geipel, Geipel’s Founder and Head Brewer, said:
“We’re very honoured and amazed to win such a prestigious award. I never imagined that a non-native style would be a contender. Many thanks to the judges and ‘prosit’”.
Shelly Bentley, CAMRA Awards Director, said:
“Bottle and can conditioned beers are often overlooked but when done well, they really are the crème de la crème. What is nice to see this year is the mix of brewers in the medals. Fuller’s, of course, is a large established London brewer, who have a small range of bottle conditioned beers; Durham is a family brewery, dating from 1994, where all of their bottled beers are bottle conditioned; and Geipel, who set up in 2013, concentrate on bottom fermented beers. So, when it comes to producing great bottle conditioned beer, it just goes to show there is no set template!”
Ends
Notes for editors:
Tasting notes of the top three beers are:
Gold: Geipel Brewing, Hefeweizen 5.2%
Cloudy yellow coloured beer, pleasantly carbonated with a smooth mouthfeel. The nose is sweet with notes of bananas and bubblegum. Similar flavours come through on the palate with just a hint of clove leading to spicy hoppy notes with a bitter sweet, slightly tart aftertaste. Everything you would expect of a wheat beer.
Silver: Fuller's, Vintage Ale 8.4%
Dark amber beer. Enticing aromas of caramelised fruit, orange and sweet toffee. Sultanas, and marmalade on a palate made richer by notes of honey and toffee. Finish is slightly spicy and dry with a lingering bitterness. Full flavoured and remarkably drinkable for its strength.
Bronze: Durham, Temptation 10%
Black imperial stout. Dry, roasty espresso coffee on the nose with hints of dark fruits. Black treacle, toffee, plums, red fruits and a rich sweetness are balanced by coffee and a roasty dry bitterness. The roasty bitterness is also on the sweet rich lingering aftertaste. Robust and complex.
The beers in the final were:
The judges on the final were Lynda Johnson and Alex Lines from CAMRA; Paul Nunny (Cask Marque), Pete Brown (Beer Writer); Neil Thompson (Good Morning Britain) and Belinda Jennings (now of Kersia but ex Greene King and Adnams).
