Elgood’s Brewery ‘Coolship’, its Lambic-style beer has been awarded the Silver Medal in the Speciality Beer category in this bi-annual competition after a three-day judging session at the National Brewery Centre in Burton-upon-Trent.
A panel of 43 judges assessed close to 1,000 beers and ciders submitted from 50 countries. The medal winners came from 23 different countries and a broad spectrum of producers from regional micro-brewers to multi-national companies.
Claire Simpson, Marketing Director of Elgood’ Brewery commented: “To be awarded the Silver Medal in the Speciality category for one of our newest beers is wonderful, especially as we are competing against such tough international competition and were up against nine other Lambic/Sour beers from Belgium and the USA – it’s particularly pleasing that we were the only Brewery to win a medal for our Lambic/Sour beer in the group.”
Chair of judges Bill Taylor said, “The standard of entries this year was again extremely high and our judging panel put in long hours tasting and debating the merits of the beers and ciders, to arrive at a consensus on the medal winners. Brewers and cider makers who entered this competition can be confident that their product received quality consideration from our judges.”
Elgood’s is one of the only brewers in the UK who are able to brew a Lambic-style beer, due to owning a unique pair of open cooling trays, known as ‘coolship trays’. These are needed for the brewing process, allowing the beer to cool naturally overnight, attracting a range of wild yeasts and flavours dominant in the area. The beer then undergoes a spontaneous fermentation over a period of six to nine months.