Bedford-based brewer, Brewpoint, has scooped two medals at the globally recognised International Beer Challenge (IBC) Awards.
The winning ales included a Bronze medal for their Checkpoint IPA and a Silver medal for their limited edition brew Big Point, beating off competition from entries from over 40 countries.
This is the second year that Checkpoint – a combination of West Coast vs East Coast IPA sub-styles – has been recognized at the awards.
The Silver award was given to Big Point; a project giving the Brewpoint team a chance to come up with challenging and adventurous beer styles in addition to the already award-winning brews being created at the Bedford brewery.
“It’s like a brewer’s candy shop,” said James Hunter, Head Brewer at Brewpoint, the mastermind behind the beer.
“Imagine having free reign to create whatever you want. We never quite know what the end result will be, but it’s a gamble we’re willing to take and clearly this one has paid off.
“Our Summer barrel-aged release from the Big Point project, a fruited wild ale, was the first opportunity to open up – quite literally – to spontaneous fermentation.
“This beer began with a sour pitch and inoculation by natural microorganisms in the air, wood and fruits. The development of ‘funk’ followed seasonal influences, beginning in the peak of summer and judged ready for blending and bottling after the subsequent Winter.”
The Big Point project has continued this year and their limited-edition brew is a red fruit barrel-aged wild ale; a mixed culture brew fermented and matured in French oak, on macerated sour cherry and strawberry.
Big Point will be released seasonally and the brew team are already working on their next project ahead of Winter: this time a blended barrel-aged imperial stout, aged in a mix of rye whiskey, bourbon whiskey and cognac casks.
Peter Wells, CEO and family member of Wells & Co., owner of Brewpoint said, “We’re delighted to win such prestigious awards again this year.
“Our brew crew work tirelessly to provide an epic range of beers for our pubs and for our people. They’re proving that they are creating fantastic, quality beers time after time and being recognised for these awards is simply the icing on the cake”.
