8th May 2012
Beer Academy recognises international Beer Champions
The Beer Academy has created a new annual award of “Honorary Beer Academy Sommelier” to recognise people who have made an exceptional contribution to promoting the public understanding of beer.
The two first recipients are Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster at the Brooklyn Brewery in New York and Bill Taylor, Chief Brewer at Lion Breweries in Australia -two brewers who have been untiring ambassadors for beer both in their home markets and internationally.Their biographies are attached below.
Beer Academy Director, Simon Jackson said “The Beer Academy is all about building public knowledge about beer. I can safely say that no one in the world has done more to champion beer than Bill and Garrett. They are brewers with that rare skill of being able to make a very complex subject inspiring to the non-expert. Such is their ability that their influence extends far beyond their home markets of Australia and North America; they are internationally recognised as two of the finest beer communicators of their generation.
The Beer Academy is increasingly acknowledged as the world’s leading provider of consumer beer education and these two exceptional ambassadors will allow us to take the beer message to even more people.”
Ends
Photographs of Bill and Garrett can be downloaded here.
For further information contact
Paul Hegarty
+44 (0)7808 096250
Notes for Editors.
Biographies
Garrett Oliver is a graduate of Boston University, and holds a degree in Broadcasting and Film. He began brewing professionally at Manhattan Brewing Company in 1989 becoming brewmaster in 1993. In late 1994, Garrett joined The Brooklyn Brewery as brewmaster. Many of his beers have won national and international awards.
He soon gained a reputation as an avid and entertaining lecturer and writer on the subject of beer. Garrett has hosted more than 800 beer tastings, dinners, and cooking demonstrations in fourteen countries. He writes regularly for beer and food-related periodicals, and is internationally recognised as an expert on traditional beer styles and their affinity with good food. He has made numerous radio and television appearances as a spokesman for craft brewing. He has served as a judge for the Great American Beer Festival, the Great British Beer Festival and The Brewing Industry International Awards. His books include the “Good Beer Book”, “The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food” and the “Oxford Companion to Beer”.
He is the recipient of the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation and Excellence in Brewing, the 2003 Semper Ardens Award for Beer Culture (Denmark) and the Cheers Beverage Media’s “Beverage Innovator of the Year” Award. In 2007, Forbes named him one of the top ten tastemakers in the country for wine, beer and spirits.
Bill Taylor is one of Australia’s most accomplished brewers. Educated in Science and Business, Bill's passion for brewing evolved into a career that has seen him brew, judge and speak on beer around the world. Bill has also written articles for daily press and magazines around Australasia. After a decade of speaking on his passion for the opportunities and delights to be found in combining beer and food flavours at the table and in the kitchen, Bill released his first book “Beer and Food - A Celebration of Flavours” in 2002. Bill has continued to share his knowledge and passion for beer at regional events around Australia and nationally through radio, television and documentaries on Lifestyle, Food and the History channels and major Food Festivals such as Tasting Australia.
After starting his career at the Castlemaine Brewery in Brisbane, Bill is now Chief Brewer and Technical Director for the Lion Group of nine breweries across Australia and New Zealand. In 2004 Bill was made a Freeman and Brewer of the City of London . He is a Fellow and Past President of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling and is currently Chairman of Judges of the “International Brewing Awards”, the world’s longest established brewing competition.
The Beer Academy
The Beer Academy is an educational body that was founded by a small group of beer enthusiasts in 2003 to help people understand, appreciate and enjoy beer sensibly.
To date over 10,000 people have attended Beer Academy courses and tasting events such as the BBC Good Food Show, the Great British Beer Festival and the British Museum as well as in pubs and bars up and down the country.
The Academy offers a range of courses and qualifications ranging from a 90 minute tutored introduction to beer through to the two day Advanced Course for serious beer connoisseurs. Full details of all Beer Academy Courses and events can be found or follow us on Twitter @TheBeerAcademy
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