North Wales brewery, Wrexham Lager Beer Company, is celebrating success after scooping the ‘Best Beer from the UK’ title in a highly prestigious international competition in Germany.
The company’s Wrexham Export lager wowed judges at the Frankfurt International Trophy, putting it among some of the best beers in the world and providing customers with a sign of brewing excellence. It also gives the company an important marketing boost as it seeks to expand its retail and customer bases.
Many people regard Germany as the traditional ‘home’ of lager production with a brewing history dating back centuries.
Therefore, said Wrexham Lager Director Mark Roberts, to receive an award in such an iconic brewing destination is a huge accolade and puts the Welsh brewery firmly on the international beer map.
He said, “There were 38 breweries from the UK, and Wrexham was the only one to receive an award. It was the ultimate prize – a Grand Gold, and with it the title of ‘Best Beer from the UK’.
“The Frankfurt International Trophy is the crème de la crème of competitions and brings global recognition, so this win is a feather in the cap for Wales too.”
The annual beer competition attracts entries from across the world, and this year the judges sampled drinks from over 50 countries.
Held in the historic hall of the famous Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten in Frankfurt, the beer entries were blind-tasted, enabling the specific characteristics of each beer to be considered. The judges praised Wrexham Export for its perfect colour complexion and overall quality of aromas, body texture and flavour – which were the highest in the whole competition.
Mark said, “We couldn’t be more delighted; our judging scores were out of this world. The average mark for the whole competition was 72.69/100, and our Wrexham Export achieved 92/100, including full marks for its appearance and colour.”
Wrexham Lager’s beers are sold Wales-wide in multiple retailers including Morrisons and Asda, and at selected Welsh Co-op stores. The range is available online and from the brewery’s on-site shop – which since its opening last year has become a popular visitor attraction. The beer is also exported to several countries, including Poland, Finland, France, Germany, and Japan with more to be announced soon.
Mark said, “This award will help us go forward as we establish more outlets for our beer at home and abroad. In displaying our Frankfurt International Trophy credentials on our bottles and packaging, customers will know they are choosing a lager that has been singled out by some of the world’s most discerning and expert beer judges.”
Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs, North Wales and Trefnydd, said:
“A big congratulations to Wrexham Lager and the team. It is great to see international recognition for the brand and to see markets being successfully developed in the UK and Overseas with the support of the Welsh Government’s trade and export development programmes.”
The Wrexham Lager Company follows a brewing tradition that first started in the town nearly 140 years ago. Founded as a Bavarian-style brewery in the 1880s, the enterprise enjoyed many years of success. But its fortunes waned, and in 2002 the brewery closed. Now owned by the Roberts family, Wrexham Lager is again being made at a state-of-the-art German-style brewhouse.
The brewery’s use of online marketing and social media is also helping attract fans far and wide, and its links with Wrexham influencer Karl Phillips (aka ‘Bootlegger’ or ‘The Captain’) in particular have helped create a legion of fans.
Wrexham Lager is a founding partner in an initiative that highlights and celebrates people’s achievements in the town. In partnership with F Jones Food Service and in collaboration with other local businesses, Wrexham Lager has been instrumental in setting up the ‘F Jones Initiative’.
The aim is to give public recognition to those people who make a difference in the community and highlight talent, and part of the initiative is a monthly prize-award competition. The competition runs until October 2022, with two winners announced each month via social media, the local press, and Love Wrexham magazine.
As well as a new beer being teased on Wrexham Lagers social medias, preparations are also underway too for next month’s inaugural Wrexham Lager Open Air Music Festival.
Held on June 18th in the grounds of Borras Commonwood Fishery on the outskirts of Wrexham, the event will feature special guests, including legendary Welsh singer Dafydd Iwan.
The brewery’s sales manager, Joss Roberts said, “After last year’s success of our summer sessions festival at the brewery, we are pleased to announce our first ever large music festival.
“The festival will feature some of Wrexham’s best and most up-coming bands and also as an added extra Dafydd Iwan will be appearing. We are very excited as he gained millions of views for his rendition of ‘Yma o Hyd’ at Wales’ World Cup qualifier match.
“We are also very pleased S4C will be featuring our festival as part of a documentary it is making about Wrexham and how the takeover of Wrexham AFC is helping the town.”
