There are many well-established drinks competitions and awards events that producers can enter, but none of them evaluate beers, wines and spirits on the same basis as the judges who take part in the annual London Spirits, London Beer and London Wine competitions.
The submitted spirits, wines and beers are uniquely scored on quality, value for money and packaging by a respected panel of some of the most respected judges drawn from across the international drinks industry.
This approach produces results that are more meaningful to potential buyers and stockists, because they will know that a high score (95 out of a possible 100 points, for example) is the average of the three criteria; it can’t be for a product that looks good, offers value for money, but is low on quality.
Having been involved with the organisers for the last few years, as a media partner, at Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine we have had the privilege to meet the judges to get their opinion of the three competitions – very positive – but, more importantly, we conducted research with some of the 2024 competitions’ winners.
Beverage Trade Network, the organisers of the competitions, published the case studies that we produced in full, but here is a summary of one of the companies that we interviewed – London-based Pillars Brewery, who took home four awards at the 2024 London Beer Competition: Pillars Hop Lager and Pillars Helles won gold awards; Pillars Pilsner and Pillars Icebock 23 were awarded silver.
The specialist craft lager brewery based in Walthamstow, east London, launched in 2016. As the first craft lager brewery in London, their mission was to change consumer perception of lager, which accounts for two of every three pints bought in the UK.
Their lager is brewed in a traditional Bavarian-styled brewhouse and they tailor the water profile for each brew using their own water treatment plant, which produces fine, award-winning lagers.
The impact on the company of winning the four awards at the London Beer Competition has been positive and when asked for the opinion of the event, their response was unanimously positive: “We feel that the London Beer Competition is a great competition to enter and you can see that by the calibre of entries.
“We only choose to participate in awards that well-respected breweries are entering too.”
Whilst the feedback from the companies that enter is overwhelmingly positive, the organisers do not rest on their laurels; over the last few years they have added new elements, features and benefits that participants enjoy, but it is the results of independent research like that provide compelling reason to enter.
The registration deadline is fast approaching: 28 February 2025.
Good luck.