Golden Pints 2015

Thought i might go with the flow this year and actually do a Golden Pints Awards, i know, it's

shocking but it has been an interesting year for beer. There may well still be an Aspirational Lambics too as i do have a monumental hangover ;-) 

So here we go...

Best UK cask beer, not a new beer but it blew me away when i last drank it. Hawkshead Brewery, Windermere Pale. Just wow. Honourable mention to Sambrooks Lavender Hill; yes i'm biased, no i don't care.

Best UK keg beer, I've not had very much of this category so i'm going to go with a beer that i had more of than any other from keg; Hackney Brewery, Session IPA. Cracking beer in my favourite style.

Best UK Bottled beer, Well looking back on my year i'm going to have to go for Brewdog, Dog D. Absolutely stunning. 

Best UK Canned beer, well there are a plethora of quality canned beers out there now and there are a few that i'd like to mention before deciding which one. London Brewing Co, Upright is the first, great beer! Well done! Beavertown, Holy Cowbell knocked a few socks off too this year! Roosters Baby Faced Assassin was a great transition into can and finally, Four Pure Session IPA is a thing of beauty. But overall i would say that just out of pure stand-out fucking trumpet fanfaring, spectacularly awesome, mind blowing in a can i'd have to go with the Beavertown Holy Cowbell.

Best Overseas Draught, well the winner on this one is easy as i was drinking it just yesterday and that's Woodstock Brewery, Californicator IPA. A very special mention should go to Rory at the Aegir Project though for his Pale Uil, absolutely stunning.

Best Overseas Bottled Beer, would have to go to Devils Peak, Kings Blockhouse IPA, I beer i have drunk an awful lot of this year and i've not been let down by it once! Honourable mention would go to a beer not being brewed anymore which i had aged for 5 years, Steve Donohue, formerly of Firehouse Brewery and their Hardly Thomas Barley Wine, Holy shit that was a good beer!

Best Overseas Canned beer, is the simply stunning Down to Earth from 21st Amendment. Although it really could have been any of their beers because they've nailed every one i've tasted!

Best Collaboration, i can't comment because i've not had enough of them this year, collaboration seems to be dwindling at the moment.

Best overall beer, if i have to choose, i'd have to go with, Brewdog's Dog D.

Best Branding, again i'd have to go with 21st Amendment, i've always thought it was great, Beavertown would come a close 2nd though.

Best Pumpclip, AFC Wimbledon's Plough Lane Ale! Because fuck yeah!

Best Bottle Label, i can hand on heart say, i really don't care.

Best UK Brewery, Tough call, there are a lot of them now but i'm going to go for London Brewing Co, the beers are well made, they're expanding all the time and they also have the element of experimentation. Good job, team Dan!

Best Overseas Brewery, I will always have a soft spot for 21st Amendment so i'm going to go for them but honourable mentions must go to some of the Cape Town breweries such as Aegir Project, Devils Peak and Woodstock.

Best new Brewery opening, Wimbledon brewery. You guys rock!

Best Pub/Bar of the year, Any pub that does amazing wings gets my vote so the Bull in Highgate wins this one! 

Best New Pub/bar opening 2015, don't know really.

Beer festival of the Year, i've only been to three this year so Cape Town Fest of Beer gets my vote this time round.

Supermarket of the year, Mark & Spencer for their own branded range. They've chosen some great breweries to work with there.

Independent Retailer of the year, We Brought Beer, James and his team have just opened a 2nd shop in Clapham Junction and they do a fantastic job.

Online Retailer of the year, i've not really used them this year but Zak Avery's Beer Ritz wins my vote.

Best beer book or magazine, Beer Safari by Lucy Corne.

Best beer blog or website, they currently have a bit of a monopoly on this beer blogging thing as no-one else is really saying anything interesting any more so Boak and Bailey have nailed down my vote.

Simon Johnson award for best twitterer, David Bishop, keep up the good work you legend. You can follow @broadfordbrewer and @twattybeerdoodles, both are great value!

Best Brewery Website/Social Media, I have to say they've all been a bit shit this year, pull your socks up, people!

So there we have it. I'm off to raise a beer to the legend that was Glenn Payne. How about a posthumous Golden Pint for Services to the industry, he'd get my vote.