Sheffield brewer scoops two medals in international beer awards

Master Brewer Alex Barlow and the team at Sheffield's Sentinel Brewing Co were celebrating perhaps with a pint or two this week after the new brewery was awarded two 3 Star Medals at The Beer Awards.

Sentinel’s Ar (American Red) and their first collaboration beer, RRG (Rhubarb Rosehip Gose) tickled the judges’ tastebuds.

The competition received entries of beers from all over the world and featured a rigorous judging process with strict blind tasting by leading beer aficionados.

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Run by the world’s “leading experts in drinks competitions,” IWSC Group, who have over 47 years’ experience in judging quality in alcoholic beverages, The Beer Awards’ aim is to highlight exceptional beers “in order to make consumer drinking choices that little bit easier.”

Bev Steer, Head of Operations at IWSC Group International, said “The Beer Awards inaugural competition got off to a fantastic start, with entries from Italy, Germany, Belgium to name a few, and of course the UK. The breadth of ales and lagers received impressed the range of experienced judges pulled together for this new venture.”

And Alex Barlow, Sentinel’s head brewer and managing director, said the brewery are in great company, “All the beers from across the world that were awarded medals in The Beer Awards are exceptional, well respected products. We’re very proud that the judges enjoyed our beers so much.”

Sentinel’s RRG was brewed as a limited edition in collaboration with Barlow’s friend Anders Kissmeyer, a brewer from Denmark. “Rhubarb and rosehip are traditionally rooted Yorkshire and Danish ingredients,” said Alex Barlow, “and Anders and I discovered that they work beautifully together in beer. And our American Red is our version of an American take on a traditional Irish red ale. Both feature on draught and in our current packaged range.”

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The news came after the expanding Shoreham-street based “theatre of beer” – which serves its own-brewed artisan beers and a selection from other brewers, recruited three new staff with an ambition to cement its growing reputation, professionalise the business administration and grow sales outside the brewhouse bar.

Sentinel opened in May and hand-brews British, Continental and American style beers to Barlow’s own recipes. It’s a brewhouse, tap and eatery and also hosts events including training courses for The Beer Academy, dining events with The Real Junk Food Project, and business receptions.