From rural foraged brewing to trailblazing hospitality and communication, the 2026 Women in Beer Awards honor the shining stars driving innovation and community across the UK brewing landscape.

A night of celebration in Manchester

The national Women in Beer Awards 2026 kicked off this year’s Women in Beer Festival with a sold-out celebration at Cloudwater Brewery’s taproom in Manchester. Honoring the exceptional achievements of women across every facet of the brewing and beer community, the awards spotlighted visionary brewers, entrepreneurs, communicators, and leaders who are shaping the future of the industry.

The 2026 entries were evaluated by a distinguished independent panel of industry experts, including beer broadcaster and journalist Melissa Cole, Cloudwater Brew Co owner Paul Jones, Burnt Mill head brewer Sophie de Ronde, Moonwake co-founder Vinny Rosario, Burum Collective founder Helen Anne Smith, and The Dodo Micropub founder Lucy Do.

Spotlight on Brewer of the Year: Red Kellie

Taking home the evening’s highest brewing honor, Red Kellie, co-founder and brewer at Northumberland’s The First & Last Brewery, was crowned Brewer of the Year (sponsored by SIBA).

Operating out of Bellingham in rural Northumberland, Red has earned national acclaim for terroir-led brewing and innovative, hand-foraged ingredients — such as their award-winning Spruce Saison. Facing fierce competition from finalists across the UK — including Laura Gillott (Thornbridge Brewery), Kate Hyde (Hand Brew Co.), and Georgina Young (St Austell Brewery) — Red’s win arrives as her family-run brewery celebrates its milestone 10th anniversary.

Reflecting on her win, Red Kellie shared: “The Women in Beer Awards are such a wonderful celebration of all of the work going on up and down the country by women in every aspect of the brewing and beer community. I met so many inspiring women at the event. It was such a massive surprise to win, and at the same time a really proud moment to celebrate all that is special about what we do at First & Last.”

Full roll of honour: 2026 category winners

The ceremony recognised excellence across a diverse array of professional disciplines: