The 7th edition of the Barcelona Beer Challenge Awards Gala was held on 2nd of April 2022.
The 2022 competition was a resounding success, breaking records with 215 breweries participating and submitting 1,315 beers from 15 countries. Thus, the competition consolidates awards that recognise, certify, and disseminate the quality of beers that meet the highest standards. These medals, awarded by a jury with specific training, qualifications, and skills, ensure that their decisions lead to national and international recognition of the winning beers.
After two years where the celebration of the awards could not take place normally, we could finally celebrate a gala open to everyone, face to face and with more desire to celebrate than ever.
The gala was part of the second edition of InnBrew, the brewers convention, which was held during 3 days at La Farga in L’Hospitalet.
With emotion to the surface, at 11.30 a.m., the two emblematic presenters, Mikel Rius and Judit Càrtex, took to the stage to kick off the competition. It was 177 medals to the 64 categories in the competition.
The first block of medals ended with the emotional presentation of the Steve Huxley Award, a recognition to professionals in the sector who stand out for their career and who make an important contribution to the development of craft beer in the country. It is an award given by 100 professionals from the sector. This year the award went to Salvador Marimón, one of the most respected and loved people in the sector for more than 25 years installing equipment. You can find more information here.
The gala continued at a good pace and at the end of the second block, one of the 3 main prizes of the competition was awarded: The Molina for Brewers Innovation Award, which seeks and promotes creativity and innovation in the brewing process. This year the prize went to Cervesa Màger and its beer Dolça Sour. Congratulations!
In the last block of medals, finally we discovered the two big awards for the breweries that accumulated the greatest number of points for the medals won: The best rookie brewery (created from 2020) went to Liquida Birrificio Independiente, from Italy and the best Brewery of the year, with a total of 27 points and for the second year in a row, went to Basqueland Brewing.
And so, we bid farewell to a gala full of surprises, joys, and reunions. At last, we could see each other face to face, celebrate, and see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Here you can find more information about the 2022 winners.