South West Brewing Director Voted Best In Industry Awards

St Austell Brewery’s head of brewing was celebrated by industry professionals at a prestigious beer awards ceremony last week.

Georgina Young, who has been at the helm of brewing operations at St Austell Brewery for five years, was voted the Brewers’ Brewer of the Year at the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) Business Awards 2025.

The awards shine a light on excellence in the brewing industry across a variety of categories, highlighting the efforts taken by brewers to improve business, innovation, and diversity.

This is Georgina’s third award in the past two years, recognising her dedication to the brewing industry and supporting those within it. She was crowned Brewer of the Year at the 2023 Guild of Beer Writers Awards and also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Brewer’s Congress in the same year.

Renowned beer writer Pete Brown, who hosted the SIBA awards, said:

“Georgina is one of the UK’s most respected brewers. She is a true beer enthusiast with an obsessive eye for quality and consistency. In a brewer-voted category, she was a clear winner, which shows the enormous admiration held for Georgina and the time she gives back to the industry.”

After joining St Austell Brewery in 2019 from Fuller’s, Georgina has inspired new generations of brewers, supporting the HIIT brewing apprenticeship scheme with the International Centre for Brewing Science (ICBS) at Nottingham University. The course launched in 2019, with St Austell Brewery being one of the first breweries in the country to take on those brewing apprentices.

Brewing Director Georgina said:

“It feels very special to have won this award, particularly as it’s voted for by other brewers in the industry. I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by brilliant people in the beer world, and having been chosen by peers to receive the accolade is a proud moment.”

Other notable achievements of Georgina’s include the launch of her first core beer, Anthem (3.4% ABV), in cans this month. The all-British pale ale was first introduced on bars in cask in 2022, with the refreshing and sessionable beer now reaching supermarket shelves nationwide.

She also led on brewing St Austell Brewery’s first low-alcohol beer, Proper Job 0.5% IPA, which was released in October last year. The crisp, citrusy beer was the top pick in Good Housekeeping's no and low-alcohol guide for January 2025, as well as winning Gold in the Taste of the West awards.