MIKE Powell-Evans, head brewer at Southwold-based Adnams, has been named Brewer of the Year by the British Guild of Beer Writers.Mr Powell Evans received the accolade at the guild's annual dinner, held at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London and including a menu prepared by TV chef Brian Turner with different beer to accompany each course.

MIKE Powell-Evans, head brewer at Southwold-based Adnams, has been named Brewer of the Year by the British Guild of Beer Writers.

Mr Powell Evans received the accolade at the guild's annual dinner, held at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London and including a menu prepared by TV chef Brian Turner with different beer to accompany each course.

It is the second award for Adnams in as many weeks, with Adnams Bitter having been named as the Campaign for Real Ale's Champion Beer of East Anglia for 2007, following “blind” tastings by a panel of judges held at The Dove in Ipswich last week.

Speaking after the BGBW awards, guild chairman Tim Hampson said: “Mike Powell Evans is a first class brewer for who second class will not do. His commitment to traceability, quality and integrity make him a worthy recipient of our Brewer of the Year award.”

During Mr Powell-Evans' time as head brewer, Adnams has won a string of regional, national and international awards for its beers and has established itself as a national brand with a reputation for quality.

Over the past six years the company's production stream has also been modernised, first with the installation of new fermentation vessels and, more recently, with a complete refit of the main brewhouse - vastly improving the energy efficiency of the operation as well as increasing capacity.

His citation as Brewer of the Year read: “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.”

Mr Powell-Evans thanked the guild for its recognition, and said the regional CAMRA award was also particularly pleasing as it had been achieved with a cask of ale produced at the new brewery, demonstrating that it was performing as intended.

n Adnams has celebrated the completion of its new brewhouse with the launch of a special limited edition beer, named Innovation.

Each of the first 7,000 bottles has an exclusive identification tag, individually numbered and carrying the signature of executive chairman Jonathan Adnams.

“We are incredibly proud of our new brewhouse,” said Mr Adnams. “Within the walls of a Victorian building in the heart of Southwold is possibly the most energy-efficient brewery in the country. This beer is a celebration of innovation and, of course, very good beer from the coast.”

He added: “Combining our inherent brewing expertise with innovative production techniques, we have produced a stunning new beer to mark this occasion.

“The beer has all the hallmark features you'd expect from Adnams. Innovation is intriguingly hoppy and golden in colour and with an ABV of 6.7% it is a beer to savour. Brewed with Maris Otter barley and malted wheat, Styrian Goldings and Columbus hops, Innovation has an assertive grapefruit and herbal bitterness balanced by a subtle sweetness.”

Innovation is available as a single gift packed bottle and in a presentation case of eight bottles. The gift packs are available through Adnams' Cellar & Kitchen stores, and exclusive to Waitrose stores nationwide.