Winners in the SIBA Business Awards 2025 have today been announced, highlighting the UK’s very best brewing businesses, pubs and retailers of independent beer – in an awards known as the Oscars of the beer industry.
Northern Ireland’s Bullhouse Brewing Company has been named Brewery Business of the Year 2025 at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers & Associates) UK Business Awards.
The Belfast brewery and taphouse also won the Commercial Achievement and Best City Pub Awards at the event.
“We’re thrilled to win the award it’s a huge recognition for the work that the team do, and also with the challenges in the Northern Ireland beer market for any Northern Irish brewery to be recognised on a UK wide platform is massive for us – To get that recognition and to be put on the map as a business.” William Mayne, Bullhouse Brew Co.
Presenting the awards was Sunday Times columnist and beer author Pete Brown, who commented “Judges were hugely impressed by Bullhouse’s ability to grow a thriving brewing business under incredibly tough trading conditions, and with the bright, modern, but welcoming atmosphere they have created at Bullhouse East. Bullhouse are a true community asset for Belfast and a worthy winner of SIBA’s Brewery Business of the Year 2025.”
Another big winner on the night was LIverpool’s Colbier, who were named the UK’s “Best new independent brewery” for their impressive impact since launching in 2024.
The SIBA Business Awards took place at the BeerX trade show in Liverpool lastnight and look to congratulate excellence in the brewing industry across a variety of categories, from pump clip, can and bottle design, to efforts taken by brewers to make their business more sustainable, diverse, innovative or successful, as well as naming the UK’s best pubs, bars and retailers of beer from independent breweries.
The SIBA Business Awards 2025 also include a brand new ‘Diversity Champion of the Year’ Award in partnership with industry group Women on Tap. The new award celebrates independent breweries who have made equity, diversity and inclusivity a central part of their business – be that with a focus on gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic background, disability, neurodiversity, or age. The Award was given to Hand Brew Co, with judges congratulating the “level of care and attention they put into ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusivity was thought about in every aspect of their business. Their practical and thorough approach is a superb benchmark for other small breweries to aspire to.”
Joining Rachel Auty from Women on Tap on the expert judging panel for 2025 were SIBA Head of Comms & Marketing Neil Walker, SIBA Events & Marketing Officer Megan Brecken, SIBA Non-Exec Director Laura Mackie UKHospitality Strategic Affairs Director Tony Sophoclides, Indie Brewer Magazine Editor Caroline Nodder, CAMRA Chief Commercial Officer Tony Lewis, and SIBA’s Chief Executive Andy Slee, who chaired the panel.