Award Success for Northern Ireland Beer and Cider

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Beer and ciders from Northern Ireland were successful at the recent all-Ireland awards held at Kilkenny in county Kildare. The three successful producers are Food NI members.

Organised by Beoir, an industry organisation that supports craft beer and cider producers, the Champion Beer of Ireland Competition took place at the Killarney Beer Festival.

Almost 150 craft beers were judged by a panel of experts including Melissa Cole, Des de Moor and Tim Webb from the UK along with André Brunnsberg from Finland, Jan Lochota from Poland and Carl Kins from Belgium.

Northern Ireland’s Hillstown Bewery, based on a family farm near Ballymena in county Antrim, struck gold for its quirky Goat’s Butt brew in the German Wheat Beer category. It was the only beer from Northern Ireland to be recognised.

Nigel Logan, the founder of Hillstown Brewery on his farm, said: “We are delighted to have this important award for our distinctive wheat beer. It will be immensely important as we seek to grow business throughout the island of Ireland.”  He founded the brewery as part of a project to develop Wagyu-style beef on the small farm. The craft brewer not has a portfolio of 10 beers and recently launched IPA in cans.

There was greater success for Northern Irish cider producers, the top awards going to Tempted of Lisburn, county Antrim, a business formed by cider enthusiast Davy Uprichard.
As well as winning the Champion Cider competition for his dry cider, he took home three other awards with the dry cider coming best in category, Tempted Elderflower awarded best fruited cider and Tempted Sweet took second place in the non-dry category.

Mr Uprichard, a first generation cider-maker with eight years’ experience, is rightly pleased with his cider’s success: “I knew my cider was good – it’s won plenty of awards before but to receive this award on my home turf and beating a lot of other cider-makers who I respect makes it more meaningful.”

There were awards too for Mac Ivor’s Cider from county Armagh. The producer came third in dry ciders and was highly commended for its medium cider. It was second in fruited ciders for its plum and ginger cider.

The competition was organised by Steve Lamond, cider liaison officer for Beoir, the Irish Beer Consumers Association. “I wanted to showcase the breadth and depth of ciders available on the island of Ireland and give the recognition to those producers that is well overdue.”

Susanna Forbes, one of two lead judges alongside Pete Brown, added: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to judge the first Champion Cider of Ireland competition. Quality overall was commendable, with a few exceptions. Beoir is to be congratulated on this positive initiative to welcome entries north and south of the border. As it becomes further established, I’d welcome seeing further cider makers in the competition in future years.”

Food Glorious Food! The Foodie Destination Awards Is Back!

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The Restaurants Association of Ireland are proud to launch Foodie Destinations 2017 in association with FBD Insurance.

They are on the search for Ireland’s premier Foodie Destination – one that offers a sense of community spirit, collaboration and support for local businesses. The winner of Foodie Destinations will be one that actively promotes itself as a Foodie Destination to locals and tourists alike.

With nearly half a century of experience, FBD Insurance is one of Ireland’s largest insurers, looking after the needs of consumers, farmers and business owners. FBD has 33 branch offices throughout the Republic of Ireland and has a staff of over 850 employees who work on behalf of over 500,000 loyal and satisfied customers. When it comes to business insurance FBD are uniquely positioned to tailor policies to suit your business needs. The cornerstone of the company is the belief that they are here to protect.

Aoife Carrigy, Chairperson of the Irish Food Writers Guild and Foodie Destinations Judge said: “The Foodie Destinations Award is an important testament to just how far Ireland has come in developing an authentic, unique and sustainable food culture. It is also a timely recognition of the dedicated graft of so many far-sighted local communities in order to claim their place in that developing food culture, and make it their own for the generations to come”.

Applications will be accepted from 12 noon on Thursday 15th of June and the deadline is 12 noon Thursday 13th of July

 

All final applications must be submitted through an online form.  To download a template of the form please visit www.foodiedestinations.ie
Any supplemental materials provided with an application should be in digital format only (dropbox folder, email attachment etc.)

 

Whitewater Opens State-Of-The-Art Brewery

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Whitewater Brewing Company, the leading Northern Ireland independent brewery, has began production at a new state-of-the-art brewery that the the company has developed to increase capacity for export growth.

The new 15,000 sq ft brewery is located at Castlewellan in county Down in the foothills of Northern Ireland’s iconic Mourne Mountains and also features an extensive visitors’ centre. It is Northern Ireland’s most modern independent brewery.

The new brewery, developed by owner Bernard Sloan, an engineer who is also the master brewer, has the capacity to produce around 40,000 litres a month and has scope for further expansion. Included is a complex of high volume fermented, designed by Mr Sloan and custom-made, with a keg filling and bottling systems.

“As well as a huge investment in the new brewery to expand capacity, we’ve  developed R&D projects that will also increase our overall competitiveness,” he adds. “We have other beers in the pipeline over the next few months.

“Our strategic focus is on expanding our market share in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and growing sales in Great Britain and further afield. We now have substantially increased volume capacity and scope to add further fermenters and other equipment to produce this up to two million litres a year. There’s also scope to expand the building for even greater growth.

“I believe there are significant opportunities outside Northern Ireland for our expertise in beers with outstanding taste and provenance,” he adds.

The brewery was originally formed in 1996 by Mr Sloan at Kilkeel in county Down, just a few miles from the new premises.

Whitewater Brewing has a portfolio of award-winning ales, lagers and stouts, several of which have won international acclaim including International Brewing Challenge medals and UK Great Taste Awards for products such as its Belfast Brew (ABV4.6%) and Germanic style Hoppelhammer (ABV6%).

Most of the products are on sale in holets, bars and off-licences in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Additionally, Whitewater has won business in Europe and China. The family-owned company has also been approached to consider supplying its beers to the US.

The company produces bottle-conditioned beers and ales and also supplies products in kegs to customers throughout Ireland.

A recent launch, Maggie’s Leap, an IPA (ABV4.7%) is proving a major market success, attracting business from China. Mr Sloan describes the latest brew as “a hoppy beer packed with citrus flavours ideal for accompanying spiced foods”.

The brewery sources spring water from the Mourne Mountains which is blended with American, Australian and New Zealand hops to create best-selling beers.

“We are finding that people are interested in the provenance and stories associated with our products. Maggie’s Leap, for instance, is named after an almost mythical figure in the Mournes, a daughter of a renowned poacher. She was reputed to have had red flowing locks, an hourglass figure and an engaging smile, the stuff of legend and the sort of tale of interest to visitors. An area in the Mournes was named after her and is a popular visitors’ attraction. It gives our beer a distinctive character and personality.”

Novelli will be great ambassador in Britain for our food

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Article by Michele Shirlow for Farm Week

Jean-Christophe Novelli had some very important and immensely encouraging comments about the quality of our food and drink during his inspirational presentation at Balmoral Show and media features last month. It was a great pleasure to host his visit to the show and to set up a number of meetings with local producers.

He made a great many friends at Balmoral, and we look forward to developing the relationship further as part of our longstanding focus on collaborating with chefs working here on behalf of local food and drink producers. Local ingredients are featuring increasingly on local menus and relationships between chefs, restaurateurs and suppliers here are probably stronger than ever before – helped by the hugely successful Year of Food and Drink 2016.

Jean-Christophe’s support for our products in the Mediterranean-style dishes he will be creating for his planned new restaurant at the Marriott Hotel in Belfast will showcase their quality, innovation and taste. I am sure he will be a tremendous ambassador for our food and drink and his presence in the city will help Food NI as we seek to assist companies here to grow business in Great Britain.

I am also confident that his support for Belfast, as the location of his first restaurant on the island of Ireland, will assist Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland as they continue to develop the food and drink theme to attract tourists particularly from Britain and Europe. A key objective for Food NI is to see our food and drink being featured by a great many more restaurants in Britain and Ireland.

We want to see Northern Ireland ingredients listed on menus both here, in Britain and indeed further afield. This will also involve developing more branded ingredients. Europe has helped this process by designating three local products – Armagh Bramley apples, Comber early potatoes and Lough Neagh eels – under its protected names scheme. Others are in the pipeline. What will happen to this scheme post-Brexit remains to be seen. It’s crucially important that an effective replacement is developed.

Jean-Christophe Novelli wasn’t the only star in Northern Ireland’s culinary firmament last month. The annual Restaurant Association of Ireland Awards recognised the achievements and talents of our chefs and the quality of restaurants here. Danni Barry, already the only female Michelin-star chef in Ireland, was named Ireland’s Chef of the Year, a tremendous recognition for EIPIC’s highly skilled and creative head chef.  EIPIC owner Michael Deane has already been shortlisted in the Catey’s as Restaurateur of the Year.

Walled City Brewery in Derry was chosen as Ireland’s Best Gastropub and OX Cave in Belfast the Best Wine Experience. Sommelier Alain Kerloc’h of OX was named Ireland’s Best Manager. And there were awards too for Bull and Ram in Ballynahinch as Best Newcomer in Ulster, The Muddlers Club in Belfast as Ulster’s Best Casual Dining Experience. Lost and Found in Derry was selected as the All Ireland Best Café.

My congratulations to all our award winners who are playing their part in Northern Ireland’s emergence as a great global food destination. Food NI is keen to see the excellence of our chefs recognised well beyond these shores.

Local producers will also benefit enormously from a recent decision by Musgrave retail group to invest £100 million this year in our food. This is a further and immensely encouraging example of a leading retailer backing local produce. Musgrave already sells 3,000 products from local suppliers.

May Brings Top Awards for NI Food, Drink and Hospitality

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Irish Restaurant Association Awards
On 8th May, 900 restaurateurs and staff attended the ninth All-Ireland Irish Restaurant Awards at The Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin and named the top restaurants in Ireland for 2017 with a number of Taste of Ulster members winning top awards.

Originally from Mayobridge, Co Down Danni Barry is Ireland’s only Michelin-starred female chef and won the prestigious All-Ireland Best Chef at last night’s awards. Fellow Taste of Ulster member, Ox Belfast’s Alain Kerloc’h picked up the accolade of All-Ireland Best Restaurant Manager. That wasn’t the only award for Alain and his team as Ox Cave was awarded the accolade of Best Wine Experience in Ireland.
Continuing the success in Belfast, The Muddler’s Club, picked up the All-Ireland award for Best Casual Dining.

The Walled City Brewery, a unique restaurant and brewhouse located in Ebrington Square, Derry-Londonderry was named Best Gastro Pub at the awards while the city’s Lost & Found was named Best Cafe respectively in Ireland.

Institute of Hospitality Awards
The Institute of Hospitality, a professional membership body for managers and aspiring managers who work and study in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries and each year recognise the success of its members.

Former Taste of Ulster placement student, Laura McKee, received the distinction of being awarded the Student Management Potential Award on 5th May.

Kelan McMichael, The Bull and Ram was awarded Restaurant Chef of the Year, Simon Dougan’s Yellow Door received the accolade of Outstanding Contribution to the Industry and Distillers Arms’ Gary Stewart went home with the award for Restaurateur of the Year. The awards kept on coming for Taste of Ulster members as John Paul McCafferty of Hastings Hotels was named Food & Beverage Manager of the Year.

Northern Ireland Tourism Awards
The annual Northern Ireland Tourism Awards by Tourism Northern Ireland recognise the best of the best each year in Northern Ireland’s growing tourism industry and Taste of Ulster members reigned supreme yet again on 18 May.

Bushmills Inn was awarded best Customer Excellence Award  and Hotel of the Year at the awards at Enniskillen Castle. Bishop’ s Gate, Derry~Londonderry was crowned Most Promising New Business with Best Food Tourism Experience going to Browns Restaurant also in Derry~Londonderry. New member, Lough Neagh Partnership won Best Marketing Initiative for Eel Eat.

Great British Bake Off’s Andrew Smyth Partners with NI Pork

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Great British Bake Off finalist and Ulster born cookery creative Andrew Smyth has joined the Northern Ireland Pork and Bacon Forum as brand ambassador working on a creative campaign to celebrate NI Pork’s provenance and versatility.

As part of the activity Andrew visited Northern Ireland recently to film a collection of locally produced pork inspired videos providing some great recipe ideas in the kitchen.

The hugely popular amateur chef and full time engineer from Holywood, Co. Down, who became well known on the seventh series of The Great British Bake Off in 2016, rose to fame for his innovative creations which combined his love of baking with engineering. His cookery and baking skills have now made him a household name.

Commenting on the partnership Deirdre McIvor, Chief Executive of NI Pork and Bacon Forum said:  “Northern Ireland Pork which carries the ‘Assured Origin’ logo guarantees that the cut, from pork chops to shoulder of pork, is wholly produced here in Northern Ireland to the highest possible standards. This means that customers can trust that item’s with this label have been produced in line with some of the highest standards in Europe.

The pig farming industry makes a significant contribution to the agri-sector in Northern Ireland and sustains 400 farming families and 2,000 local jobs. We’re proud of that industry and we encourage customers to support and protect it by always looking for the label and choosing locally produced pork.”

Andrew is an emerging local culinary talent and we are delighted that he has come on board with a range of tasty Pork based dishes bringing new energy to our campaign which has provenance and creativity at its heart.”

12 videos will be created as part of the new campaign. The campaign has been created in support of NI Pork and Bacon Forum’s ‘Assured Origin’ quality seal which is a guarantee to customers that pork is 100% Northern Ireland produced, governed by the highest animal welfare standards and quality production systems. It forms part of NI Pork’s larger effort to encourage retailers across Northern Ireland to stock NI Assured Origin pork product to ensure they offer customers the best locally produced products.

Andrew Smyth said: “Northern Ireland pork is among the best and tastiest in the world – cue Andrew with his delicious, bespoke recipes for NI Pork. Pork is really versatile, is great value, incredibly tender if cooked correctly and oozes flavour. It can be enjoyed as a classic slow-cooked roast, in casseroles, as an accompaniment with fresh summer salads – the options are simply endless. Hopefully my recipes and videos will show people just how easy it is to cook and will offer some simple inspiration in the kitchen.”

Deirdre McIvor, continues: “We urge consumers to take inspiration from the recipes showcased in Andrew’s videos and look for the Quality Assured label in shops.”

Go to the NIPork’s Facebook or Instagram page for more of Andrew’s recipes or to find out where you can buy Northern Ireland Pork ‘Assured Origin’ products.”

For all the latest news, top tips and NI Pork recipes visit NI Pork’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nipork/