We attended SIBA BeerX 2026, and it didn’t disappoint. Record crowds, inspiring award winners, and our boldest can wall yet. Here’s our full roundup.
This year’s SIBA Beer X 2026 proved to be an exceptional event and a valuable experience for our team, offering the perfect opportunity to reconnect with loyal customers while also making a wealth of new industry contacts. The exhibition hall was vibrant with energy, filled with the chatter and tinkling of glasses, as brewers, suppliers, distributors, and beer enthusiasts gathered under one roof to celebrate and share their common passion for the craft. From the moment the doors opened, there was a tangible feeling of excitement and anticipation, with attendees anxious to explore new products, exchange knowledge, and discuss the future of the brewing world.
One of the prominent moments for us was showcasing our striking can wall, a collaboration between Oasthouse, which expertly handled the printing, and our own talented team at LemonTop Creative, who created the design. Standing tall and colourful within the busy exhibition space, the can wall was a captivating display that drew visitors’ attention from across the venue. It quickly became a talking point, drawing crowds and sparking discussions about the importance of brand identity, packaging innovation, and bold creative design in today’s highly competitive brewing market. Many attendees commented on how the wall demonstrated the powerful intersection between artistry & functionality in beer branding, turning a simple product display into a storytelling experience.
Beyond our own exhibit, SIBA BeerX 2026 itself delivered on every front. The event, held at Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 18–19 March, once again proved why it is the UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event — and this year it broke its own records, attracting a remarkable 3,700 delegates to a packed programme of talks, seminars, tasting sessions, and awards. In a further mark of recognition, BeerX was named ‘Event of the Year’ at the Trade Association Forum (TAF) Awards 2026, celebrated for bringing together brewers, suppliers, and policymakers in a dynamic programme of exhibitions, talks, and awards.
Key Highlight
The content schedule was as packed as ever, featuring seminars, panel debates, and tastings spanning topics from brewing techniques and marketing strategies to sustainability practices. The Indie Beer showcase — spanning nine regional bars — offered a fantastic opportunity to sample some of the finest independent beers from across the country. The SIBA AGM and Members’ Conference also took centre stage, addressing key issues facing the industry and providing a vital forum for strategy and discussion.
Indie Beer Awards 2026 — Overall Champions
The Indie Beer Awards, judged by brewers and industry experts, ran across a huge range of beer style categories. To earn a place at the national final, brewers must first win Gold at their regional competition, making these Overall Champions truly the best of the best in UK independent beer.
Overall Champion — Cask: Almasty Brewery (Newcastle) — ‘Believe’, 6% ABV New England-style IPA
Overall Champion — Keg: Lakes Brew Co (Kendal) — ‘Don’t Make Me Run’, 8.4% ABV Imperial Stout
Overall Champion — Bottle/Can: Baker’s Dozen (Stamford) — ‘Agua Fresca Sour’, 3.2% ABV
All three Overall Champions will now automatically advance to the World Beer Cup in the US, where they will compete against the very best breweries from around the globe. Husband-and-wife team Dean and Jill Baker of Baker’s Dozen were visibly overwhelmed on the night, with Dean describing the win as “just absolutely incredible” — something that “was not even on our radar.”
SIBA Business Awards 2026 — Key Winners
The SIBA Business Awards, presented by Sunday Times Beer Columnist Pete Brown on 18th March, celebrated excellence across a wide range of categories — from packaging design and sustainability to community engagement and business innovation.
Brewery Business of the Year: Fyne Ales Farm Brewery (Scottish Highlands) — a dominant performance across the night, with five nominations and multiple wins, including Best Independent Brewery Taproom and a Highly Commended in the Collaboration category for their partnership with the Co-op.
Best New Independent Brewery: Howe Beer Project — recognised for quickly establishing a community-driven and financially sustainable microbrewery and gathering space since launching in June 2025.
Best Independent Brewery Webshop: Hackney Church Brew Co.
Brewers’ Brewer of the Year: Fiona MacEachern (Loch Lomond Brewery) — a peer-nominated award voted for by SIBA members, recognising an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the brewing community.
Business Innovation: Three Brothers Brewing (Winner) — this award recognises breweries that have shown true innovation in their business, whether through a bold new venture, an internal improvement in efficiency or profitability, or a fresh approach that sets them apart in the industry.
Pete Brown summed up the spirit of the evening perfectly, describing Fyne Ales as “a clear standout to the judging panel” and “a unanimous choice” — a fitting tribute to a brewery going from strength to strength.
Beyond our own exhibit, we were thrilled to witness the amazing talent on display throughout SIBA Beer X 2026. Brewers from across the country exhibited their finest works, and it was genuinely inspiring to see the innovation, care, and craftsmanship which define our industry. We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the award winners and nominees. Every award was thoroughly deserved, and your devotion to excellence establishes a benchmark for us all, invigorating the community and extending the limits of what can be achieved in brewing.
Thinking about the event, what remains most memorable is the sense of friendship and mutual enthusiasm which filled the hall. Whether relating stories with fellow creatives, sampling new brews, or watching the well-deserved celebrations of our industry peers, SIBA Beer X 2026 reminded us of the passion and inventiveness that make this community so special. The event offered not only a venue for showcasing creation but also a space for real connection, collaboration, and inspiration. As we pack away the final exhibition materials and reflect on an exceptional few days, our team is already brimming with ideas and eager anticipation for next year’s event. We cannot wait to return, to continue appreciating creativity, craft, and the continuously evolving world of beer.
