A ‘Craft Beer Experience’ will be featured at The European Pizza & Pasta Show for the first time ever, 15th & 16th November, following a huge growth in interest in craft beer in recent years.
The ‘Craft Beer Experience’ is being presented in association with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and will include a Live theatre featuring talks, seminars and exclusive beer and food tasting sessions, hosted by some of the UK’s top beer writers and sommeliers, as well as a brand new SIBA sampling bar (Stand 11) – pouring award-winning beers from 18 of the UK’s top independent craft brewers.
“SIBA is delighted to host the Craft Beer Experience at the European Pizza & Pasta Show. It gives us the opportunity to show independent craft beer deserves to be on our menus in restaurants – with research showing craft beer as the UK’s fastest growing drinks trend and more than a third of people saying they would visit restaurants more often if they served a range of craft beers.” Mike Benner, SIBA Chief Executive
The partnership between SIBA and the European Pizza & Pasta Show came about following increasing demand from consumers for craft beer in restaurants, as well as feedback from show attendees that they would like to see more craft beer. Research by M&C Allegra showed that 1 in 3 people would visit restaurants more often if they served a range of craft brewed British beer.
“SIBA has curated the content for the ‘Craft Beer Experience Live’ theatre, which has a packed schedule of informative, educational and inspirational talks and tastings. It’s set to be a must-attend for anyone working in the British restaurant or hospitality industry who is looking to improve their beer offering.” Benner added.
British beer writer of the year Pete Brown will be kicking off proceedings with his ‘Introduction to Craft Beer’ at on Wednesday – “The biggest thing to happen to the drinks world this decade and a huge opportunity for the restaurant and hospitality industry – this seminar explains what craft beer is and why your restaurant needs it.”
This is followed on Wednesday by a seminar on ‘How to Choose your craft beer Menu’ with Lauren Watkins of There’s a Beer for That, a ‘Beer & Pizza Matching Masterclass’ led by Mike Mason of CRATE Brewery and featuring pizzas from Prestige Food & Wine, and a tasting of bottled and canned beers with beer writer John Porter.
The second day of the event sees leading beer sommelier Sophie Atherton start things off with a talk on ‘Stocking today’s must-have craft beers’, a presentation on ‘The importance of independence in craft beer’ by SIBA’s Mike Benner, before a ‘Beer & Pasta Masterclass’ with sommelier Jacopo Mazzeo – pairing craft beers with a selection of pasta dishes from italian pasta producers Surgital.
Both days will also feature a practical presentation aimed at restaurateurs and alcohol buyers by SIBA’s Ian Ward on ‘Supplier Solutions for independent British craft beer’, with the two-day event being aptly rounded off with a meet the brewer beer tasting session with Edinburgh Beer Factory, Elgood’s Brewery, St Austell, Threesods Brewery, Windsor & Eton and Brecon Brewing.
With over 850 independent craft brewery members across the UK, SIBA not only represent breweries as a trade association, but also act as a distributor, delivering craft beer solutions for pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels across the UK who are looking to improve or begin their independent craft beer offering. SIBA’s craft beer bar at the show will behaving out samples from 18 different Assured Independent British Craft Brewers, as well as providing information on SIBA’s craft beer solutions for restaurants and the hospitality industry.
Breweries featured in the Craft Beer Experience include: Brecon Brewery, CRATE, Dark Star Brewing Co, Edinburgh Beer Factory, Elgoods Brewery Ltd, Gloucester Brewery, Hambleton Ales, Hardknott, Hawkshead Brewery, Loch Lomond Brewery, London Beer Lab Ltd, Powderkeg Brewery Ltd, Rooster’s, Signature Brew, St Austell Brewery, St. Peter’s Brewery, Strathaven Ales, Three Sods Brewery.
For more information visit the Society of Independent Brewers (Stand 11) at the European Pizza & Pasta Show 2017, which you can register for here: http://pizzapastashow.com
The Crafty Beeress 