Leamington-based craft beer hits more milestones in mission to become UK’s number one brand

A Leamington-based craft beer maker has hit two major milestones in its mission to become the UK’s number one brand.

Empress won a silver award in the coveted Great British Food Awards for its IPA and gluten-free lager and was recently poured on tap at an event at Waitrose’ flagship London store.

The event came less than a year after Waitrose started stocking Empress at 297 of its stores nationwide in a coup for the brand.

Founder Surj Virk, from Leamington Spa, said the high-profile appearance along with a prestigious award recognising the quality of its beers, are the latest steps in the brand’s mission to become the UK’s beer of choice in restaurants, bars, hotels and homes.

He said: “October was a great month for Empress.

Not only were we delighted to win silver in the Great British Food Awards - but we also showcased our brand in one of the busiest

supermarket branches in the country.

“We’ve always prioritised taste and quality across all of our products and we hope that with our lager we’ve turned the idea that gluten-free beers are often considered poorer quality and lacking in flavour on its head, and proved that ours challenges some of the top brands out there."

"“When we first went to Waitrose, they loved the fact we were not only gluten-free, organic and vegan but that we were an up-and-coming British artisan brand - something also recognised in the Great British Food Awards.”