Hercules Brewing Company, the first craft brewery to open in Belfast for almost 160 years, has won a Gold Medal at the 54th Monde Selection International quality awards for their small batch brew lager, Yardsman.
The awards, which were designed to measure and assess with complete objectivity, the quality of products from 224 companies across the world, presented the accolade to Yardsman lager at the recent awards in Lisbon.
One of only two companies in Ireland to receive the prestigious award, Yardsman lager is a unique offering in the craft beer market. With a brewing process that is a nod to its rich Belfast heritage, locally sourced products including Irish lager malt and Belfast water are filtered through Irish linen, allowing the lager to mature for a six week period and create its award winning taste.
Commenting on his success at the Monde Selection awards, Niall McMullan, international drinks industry veteran and creator of Yardsman lager, said: “I am delighted to receive this international award, which is a fantastic acknowledgement of the quality and taste of our local craft lager.
“In recent years there has been a worldwide demand from consumers for craft beers, so I am proud to have created this unique craft brand that pays homage to local people who worked in the Belfast industries of linen making, ship building, distilling and brewing – people who were experts in their craft.
“Since re-launching Hercules Brewing Company last year, the popularity of Yardsman lager has continued to grow and we are now distributing the product province wide in all of the best restaurants, bars and off licenses across Northern Ireland. We have also had a lot of interest for the product from international markets and this will become a focus for the company moving forward.
“In fact, the consumer demand for the Yardsman brand has meant that we have now started to produce the lager in bottles as well as draught. In addition, we have also launched our Yardsman Belfast Pale Ale in both formats as well as our Yardman IPA in a bottle.
“We want to lead a movement in local craft beer and revive and celebrate Belfast’s heritage in brewing – so this leading industry award is something that is a real honour!”
Picture shows: Niall McMullan, international drinks industry veteran and creator of Yardsman lager celebrates as the small batch brew wins a Gold Medal at the 54th Monde Selection International quality awards.
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