The results are in from Port St Beer House’ 2019 Beer of the Year Survey.

Contributors highlighted 25 favoured breweries across the UK with a high number of  brewers from the North not surprisingly being highlighted. Pomona Island, Squawk and Track came out on top in the poll, closely followed by Cloudwater, Deya, Donzoko and Abbeydale.

From Manchester to Warsaw

Indy Man Beer Convention and Friends, Family and Beer topped the Beer experience of 2019 alongside 12 other UK events including Northern Monk’s Hop City. Beer tourism to Warsaw, Stockholm and beyond appears to be growing highlighting that the craft beer community are happy to travel for the right experience and to sample the finest craft.

IPA all the way

Aside from a strong desire for more beer in 2020 (including better beer provision in restaurants), having even more IPAs tops the hopes and dreams list. The good news is the 2020 beer trend’s identified by the survey showed that there remains an abundance of love for IPAs, DIPAs to NEIPA’s, as well as the big bold flavour trend continuing with candy sours, spicy beers and pretzel stouts. 

The soft will go hard, and the hard will go soft

Many have predicted that low ABV and alcohol free beers will top the trend in 2020, along with hard seltzers and even hard Kombucha. Although what many really want is more focus on heritage beer styles, old style English bitters and Traditional mild.

An eco-friendly 2020

Some of those surveyed want craft beer to become more accessible to all, and for home brewing projects to gain better quality results. However what many can agree on is an eco-friendly 2020 with less plastic and less waste.

Though the debate between Keg and Cask remains split, we can all agree that 2019 was a vintage year.

For more news visit our craft beer events page.