23 September 2006
Beer we go for creative awards!

The British Guild of Beer Writers is giving writers, broadcasters, photographers, poets illustrators, designers and webmasters the chance to enter their work in six different categories, with one of the category winners to be named as the British Guild of Beer Writers' Beer Writer of the Year.
Nominations and entries are being sought for six categories.
· The Cains Finest Lager Award for Regional Journalism – for the very best regional beer writing or broadcasting - includes local and regional newspapers, radio and television, CAMRA newsletters and books published regionally. First prize of £1,000 and a weekend for two in a top Liverpool hotel and a runner-up will receive an award of £500 in prize money. Sponsored by Cains.
· The Wells & Young’s Trade and Technical Journalism Award - for the very best writing in trade and company newspapers, newsletters, magazines and websites. First prize of £1,000, and a runner up will receive an award of £500. Sponsored by Wells & Young’s.
· The Bishops Finger Beer with Food Award for Beer and Food Writing - the piece can be written or broadcast in national, local or regional media, it could be in a trade magazine or a company publication, on the internet or part of a video. The objective is to encourage journalists to write or broadcast material on the subject of matching beer with food a subject area formerly dominated by wine. There is a first prize of £1,000 and a weekend break at a Shepherd Neame pub hotel for the winner and his/her partner. Sponsored by Shepherd Neame.
· The Whitstable Bay Organic – Brewed with sustainability award. Beer writers will be encouraged to submit articles that promote beer as a healthy, natural product using sustainable raw ingredients and brewing processes. There is a first prize of £1,000. Sponsored by Shepherd Neame.
· The Budvar Travel Bursary – Open to Guild members only- and is for the entrant considered by the judges to benefit most from a travel bursary - with a prize of £1,000 plus a trip to the brewery in the Czech Republic. The winner will be encouraged to write a feature on wherever they visit, which will be published on the Guild’s website.
· The Award for National Journalism – includes the national press, consumer magazines, national television and radio and internet, web pages and other electronic media. First prize of £1,000. Second Prize £500.

The results of the Beer Writer of the Year 2006 Awards will be announced at the Guild’s Annual Dinner, which will be held in London at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel on 7 December.

To enter the competition send four copies (photocopies accepted) of each entry, published or broadcast in the 12 months up to 30 September 2006 - stating where it has been published – authors of books need to send four copies of the book.
Alternatively good quality PDFs of work will also be accepted.
Website entries - send web address only.
Entries should be sent with a covering letter by 13 October to Beer Writers Competition, c/o Seal Communications Limited, Islington Gates, 8 Fleet Street, Birmingham B3 1JH. Email – beerwritersawards@sealcommunications.co.uk

Entrants are asked to nominate which category they would like their work to be entered into but the judges reserve the right to consider work for other categories.
Third party entries are accepted.

Other than for the The Budvar Travel Bursary entrants do not have to be members the of British Guild of Beer Writers – they just have to communicate about beer or beer culture, new products or the ingredients and brewing of beer.

There is no limitation on the number of categories that an individual may enter.
Entries can only be returned if accompanied with a self-addressed, stamped envelope or packaging.

For more information on the British Guild of Beer Writers Awards contact Tim Hampson – Tel: 07768 614283 Email tim@infopub.co.uk.
www.beerwriters.co.uk