Emma Gilleland, Supply Chain Director for Marston’s was last night awarded the honour of Brewer of The Year by Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Andrew Griffiths MP, the first time a woman has been given the award.

Brewer of the Year is nominated by the Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD) and in making the nomination, they consider not only the brewing expertise of the individual but also their wider commitment to beer, brewing, people and the community.

On receiving the award Emma commented: “This is a huge honour and completely unexpected. This award reflects the outstanding team that I am a part of at Marston’s and they share the honour with me.”

Emma Gilleland began her career with a BSc in Biomedical Technology in Sheffield before joining the Brewing Industry passing the Diploma in Brewing in 1999 and achieving the IBD’s highest professional qualification in 2010 – earning the title Master Brewer. She has pursued  a highly successful career rising to become Director of Supply Chain Director for Marston’s with responsibility for five different breweries producing 60 different ale brands –  and she was recently described on Radio 2 as “probably the most influential woman brewer in the UK”.

Emma has overseen the planning and successful implementation of a £7 million investment in a new bottling line at the Marston’s brewery in Burton Upon Trent.  This provided the flexibility to allow the company to meet growing consumer demand for premium bottles ales – and generated 17 new jobs in the town. She is a passionate champion of beer – appearing on radio and in national and local newspapers and has also contributed to the wider community through being a Trustee of the Burton Breweries Charitable Trust and to the wider brewing community by acting as a Judge at regional and national beer competitions.

The evening also saw Keith Bott of Titanic Brewery honoured. Keith won the Beer Group’s Lifetime Achievement award for his decade as Chairman of SIBA.

New Managing Director of SIBA Mike Benner commented “Everyone within SIBA, and the wider British brewing industry, will applaud this well-deserved recognition for Keith. He has been a driving force behind many of the great victories for beer, through a combination of strategic vision, political astuteness and, underpinning everything he did, a deeply-held passion for our national drink.

“To have achieved so much as chairman and president, while also building a hugely successful brewery, speaks volumes for Keith’s talent, which we at SIBA are still privileged to benefit from, as he continues to serve as a trustee for our Midlands region.”

Ex Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Robert Humphreys was named Beer Drinker of the Year.