The International Beer Challenge 2023 is now open for entries. The competition, which is in its 27th year, welcomes beers from across the world. With the ongoing interest and innovation in beer, the IBC has set out around 80 different sub-categories for the tasting competition. Beers will be blind tasted by beer experts including retailers, supermarket beer buyers, flavour analysists, and award-winning beer writers. Judges…

The supreme champion, trophy and medal winners for the 2022 International Beer Challenge (IBC) have been revealed.  1906 Black Coupage by Spanish brewery Hijos de Rivera has been awarded Supreme Champion, as well as winning the award for Best Lager Above 5%.  With entries spanning 31 countries, 61 were awarded gold medals. In total, 82 different styles of beer were entered into…

The International Cider Challenge (ICC) 2023 is now open for entries, marking the 13th year of the competition.  With the aim of platforming the cider industry, the competition is open to cider producers from any part of the world.  Ciders entered into the tasting categories will be blind tasted by a panel of independent judges, while those entered into the design and packaging awards…

Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel has launched a challenge to start-up businesses worldwide to create “the drink of the future”. The company is launching the Rethink Your Drink Challenge through its Barlab Ventures project, in partnership with the global food tech accelerator Eatable Adventures. The winners will be invited to create a product test with Mahou’s own team of experts. Mahou said it was looking…

The latest report by Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP) has found that underage drinking and anti-social behaviour is likely to decrease when retailers implement a Challenge 25 policy.  As part of its 2021/22 Annual Report, CAP noted that over the past six years, 98% of retailers have been able to pass Challenge 25 compliance tests, following CAP training. As more retailers put Challenge 25…

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has rolled out a fresh campaign for Challenge 25, as it looks to support retailers and boost awareness among consumers. The policy, which is intended to prevent under-age sales, urges retailers to check for proof of age for anyone that might look 25 or under. ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Local shops have a fantastic track record of…

 The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has said that retailers should not challenge customers who refuse to abide by new face mask rules. From today, masks are once again compulsory in shops, as the government looks to slow the spread of new Covid-19 Omicron. The ACS said that retailers will again be required to communicate the rules on face coverings to customers using signage in…