MacIvors Cider collect three gold medals in London at brewing industry oscars
IRISH craft cider maker MacIvors Cider has collected three gold medals at London’s Guildhall at the prestigious 2017 International Brewing and Cider Awards.
The event, which is dubbed the ‘Oscars of the Brewing Industry’ was attended by brewers and cider makers from Europe, Australasia, the Far East and North and South America.
After three days of judging in Burton-upon-Trent three gold medals were awarded to the popular Co Armagh cider producers for their Traditional Dry Cider, Medium Cider as well as the Plum and Ginger Cider which was launched last year.
Fifth generation apple grower Greg MacNeice, of Mac Ivors Cider Co, said: “After winning overall Champion Cider at the last event two years ago, we were keen to benchmark our ciders again in an international arena. These awards attract a diverse range of high quality ciders and are judged by professional cider makers who command huge respect so we are delighted to win three Gold medals at this year’s competition.
“The event in London’s Guildhall was phenomenal where so many varieties of beers and ciders were on display. We are particularly pleased to win a Gold medal for our Plum & Ginger Cider which was just recently launched, alongside two gold medals for our more traditional ciders – Medium and Traditional Dry.
“One key criteria this year for judges was the product’s commercial worth – a criteria praised by the judges including Oliver Wesselhoh of Kreativ Brewery in Hamburg. He concluded that the winning products are the ones, that, once tasted, you would order again, or recommend to a friend. It’s a different approach to many other competitions.”
The 45 judges assessed more than 1,100 beers and ciders – an uplift of 15 per cent on the last competition, held in 2015.
All medal winners collected their medals at the awards luncheon where the 10 overall Championship winners – nine beers and one cider – were also unveiled.
The International Brewing and Cider Awards are unique in requiring that all judges are currently working as brewers or cider makers and so select the winners through a consensus approach.
Chairman of judges Bill Taylor said: “The list of medal winners reflects both the quality and diversity of beers and ciders entered into the competition.”
