The monks of Ampleforth Abbey is celebrating the news that their beer has wowed judges in Great Taste 2013 by being awarded two gold stars in the world’s largest and most rigorous food awards scheme involving over 400 judges and thousands of hours of blind tasting.
Great Taste is simply about taste, not clever branding or smart packaging. Judges are presented with, for example, a piece of cheese, a pie or a little dish of chutney, with no wrappings, jars or marks ““ and they taste, confer and re-taste before making the decision on whether a product should be a 1-, 2- or 3-star winner. In total more than 12 judges will have tasted and commented on each product.
Father Terence, the Prior of the Abbey, said “It is very pleasing to see Ampleforth beer receive such a
prestigious award. It shows that the care we put into its production shows itself as a top quality beer.
Its sale helps not only maintain the Abbey itself but also supports our work in communities across a
wide area”
He continued “St Benedict expected that monks pay their own way and work for their money.
Brewing is a traditional way of doing this in monastic communities and we’re happy to have had the
success we’ve had”
Out of almost 10,000 products entered into Great Taste 2013 just 125 have been awarded 3-star. All 3-star products have been re-judged by a panel including Masterchef judge and restaurant critic Charles Champion, food buyers from Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Whole Food Markets and Michelin Star chef Russell Brown who have together decided on the 2013 Top 50 Foods, the Golden
Fork Trophy winners as well as the new 2013 Supreme Champion.
Finally on Monday, 9 September, at a nail-biting Awards’ Dinner at the Royal Gardens Hotel, London, the great and the good from the world of fine food will gather to hear who has won the Golden Fork Awards and the final applause will be reserved for the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2013.