Beer

BrewDog launches homebrewing competition

By James Evison

- Last updated on GMT

BrewDog co-founder James Dickie with the company's pilot brewing kit, similar tp the kit he first produced brews on
BrewDog co-founder James Dickie with the company's pilot brewing kit, similar tp the kit he first produced brews on

Related tags Beer Brewing

BrewDog launches amateur brewing competition with winner being offered a full-time brewing job with the firm.

The brewery and operator is calling on homebrewers to send in their best beers from 7 July until 16 September with a panel from Tesco's buying team and Publican's Morning Advertiser​ columnist Pete Brown judging the entries.

The winning beer will then be brewed at the Ellon HQ brewery and be made available on tap across the 28 UK-based BrewDog bars and bottle shops, and stocked in UK supermarket, Tesco.

The winning brewer will also be offered the opportunity to take up a place as a full-time brewer on the BrewDog brewing team.

Pete Brown said: “What the panel will be looking for is that spark of imagination; something we’ve not seen before, or a unique take on a tried and tested classic.

"I want to find something that jumps out and punches me in the face, a beer that is unapologetically epic. And I firmly believe Britain’s home brewers these days are more than capable of that.” 

Co-founders of Brewdog Martin Dickie and James Watt were school friends and originally homebrewers prior to turning professional - and presented their product to writer Michael Jackson at an event nine years ago, who responded by telling them to "quit your jobs and start brewing." 

In February of this year BrewDog released DIY Dog - a comprehensive guide to all its beer recipes scaled down to home brew proportions​.It later also unveiled all the beer recipes for its forthcoming 2016 releases as well.  

James Watt said:  ​“We’ve already released all our recipes for our fans to get their teeth into, and now we’re looking to pluck a talented home brewer out of obscurity and offer them a coveted spot on our brew team. Martin Dickie and I started off in this industry by home brewing our own alternatives to bland beer, and now we want to share that success with other hopefuls keen to see the death of stuffy beer culture. We’ll stop at nothing to see the craft beer revolution annihilate big, boring beer conglomerates.”

BrewDog’s first listings with Tesco happened in 2008 having come 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in a beer competition run by the supermarket. Asked to produce enough stock for 500 of its stores, the pair was forced to lie to their bank to get a loan in enough time to put in a bottling line, rather than package 20,000 beers by hand. 

Ellie Porter, craft & specialist buyer at Tesco, said: ​“Tesco is constantly looking to please and excite our customers with new and exciting craft products. We are very proud of our history with BrewDog, and we look forward to helping find a new great beer and supporting more homegrown British talent in the future.”  

Dickie said: ​“There are few other industries where those who wish to earn a livelihood can hone their skills from the comfort of their own home, using equipment of different scale but employing entirely the same principles. Home brewing is deservedly the creative cornerstone of our entire industry, and how our own company started out. What we’ll be looking for are people who can brew something really interesting and unique, something that throws the rule book out of the window. Be brave, ignore boundaries.”

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