Each year the British Guild of Beer Writers chooses from nominations made by members its Brewer of the Year
The judges commented, "Mike Powell Evans is a great ambassador for beer. He is passionate, articulate and always willing to share his knowledge with fellow brewers, publicans and the wider public.He has been Head Brewer with Adnams for 16 years and seeks to combine traditional craftsmanship with modern brewing techniques to produce a mouth watering range of award winning beers.
Most recently he has supported the environmentally green and energy saving stance of his company by overseeing the design, installation and successful commissioning of a new brew house - always the dream of a head brewer before he retires. This compliments the fermentation and maturing rooms already in place.
For many years Adnams was, like so many UK regional brewers, a well-kept local secret with its beer only being sold in the local area. Today, the Beer from the Coast enjoys a much wider success and has gained considerable recognition throughout the UK.
This success is in no small part due to Mike Powell Evans, whose commitment to quality and traceability of the ingredients has ensured that Adams beers are the first choice for many drinkers.
British Guild of Beer Writers Chairman Tim Hampson said: "Mike Powell Evans is a first class brewer for whom second class will not do.
His commitment to traceability, quality and integrity make him a worthy recipient of our Brewer of the Year Award."
Over 170 journalists, brewers and pub operators attended the dinner at the `Millennium Gloucester Hotel in South Kensington, London.
The British Guild of Beer Writers was established in 1988 to help spread the word about beer and brewing and improve standards of beer writing in general. Today the Guild has over 140 members – to find out more go to www.beerwriters.co.uk