Meet the Judges

Prof. Dawn Maskell is the Director of the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University. Dawn has a PhD from Oxford Brookes University in brewing yeast physiology and an Honours degree in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot-Watt University. Today Dawn works with many brewing and distilling companies on short and long term research projects and is particularly interested in yeast physiology, fermentation process improvement and sustainability. 

Dawn is a member of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and holds a Diploma in Brewing. Dawn is also on the Board of Examiners for the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and is a member of the IBD Scottish Section Committee. Dawn is the Chair of the Technical Committee for the American Society of Brewing Chemists, where she also sits on the Board of Directors and is part of the Editorial Board for the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists.

A BSc graduate from Edinburgh University, Hilary joined Scottish & Newcastle in 1981 and enjoyed a varied career within the global drinks industry including managing the then famous Tyne Brewery in Newcastle, and Theakstons Brewery in Yorkshire. Latterly – before its takeover by Heineken - she was S&N’s Group Technical & Quality Director, looking after brewing quality in seven European countries as well as the Baltika joint venture in Russia.

In 1995, she was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. In 2005 she became the first woman President of European Brewery Convention, where she led its merger with the trade association, Brewers of Europe.

In ‘retirement’ from the world of corporate brewing she invested in WEST Brewery in Glasgow, working since 2009 with its founder Petra Wetzel to develop the WEST family of German-style beer brands. She chaired Scotland Food & Drink’s Brewing Industry Leadership Group which published a report ‘Brewing Up A Storm’ in 2019, recommending a range of measures to unblock barriers to growth for the brewing industry in Scotland. She is Chair of the Board of Sikh Sanjog, the Edinburgh-based charity which supports Sikh and other ethnic minority women to integrate into mainstream Scottish society and the employment market.

In 2022 she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Edinburgh, partly in recognition of promoting careers for women in science.

Johnston Carmichael are Scotland’s largest firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, advising over 500 food and drink businesses. They have a wealth of food and drink industry expertise and use this knowledge to help business owners make better business decisions. 

Adam leads Johnston Carmichael’s food and drink team, regularly advises clients on strategic growth and funding options.  Adam is very well connected across brewing, the wider drinks industry and regularly makes introductions and identifies opportunities across his network of business leaders, investors and intermediaries to help clients grow. 

Adam is a judge with The Scottish Beer Awards and Chairman of The Scottish Gin Awards.

From sales and ambassadorial roles with some of Scotch whiskies biggest brands to organising independent tastings and drinks festivals, it's safe to say Aly has sampled almost everything aspect of the Scottish drinks industry. After starting out in Scotch whisky, he gradually moved more and more into the world of craft beer, managing specialist bars and restaurants. From there he moved to work with some of Scotland's best breweries including the likes of Fierce Beer and Six Degrees North. Now, as Operations Manager at Edinburgh's Barney's Beer he enjoys the constantly changing and evolving world of working in one of the citires most recognisable microbreweries.

Never more at home than at behind the bar at a beer festival, there's nothing he enjoys more than sharing good drinks with good people... Except maybe the afterparty.

Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Nix’s family immigrated to Canada in her early
20s. Moving to Scotland in 2017, she is proud to be a personal mosaic of different
cultures.
Part beer lover and part history nerd, Nix found a way to combine the two and
facilitated walking tours in Toronto that focused on the city's beer and brewing
history.
After moving to Scotland, Nix launched Craft Beer Passport UK to advocate for local,
indie bars and breweries and encourage beer drinkers to support them.
Nix is also the founder of the Glasladies Beer Society, a space for women and
non-binary people to discover, explore, and expand on their love for beer. Since its
inception, the group has grown from strength to strength, highlights being a series of
collaborations with local breweries, and organising Glasgow’s only women-run beer
festivals.
Nix has an ongoing commitment to making beer a more diverse and equitable
industry for everyone.

Pete has worked in the trade since the age of 18 having started with Oddbins. He move into on trade to see the business from the other side, moving back to off trade after securing a position with a local independent beer shop in Edinburgh. 

He opened The Beerhive in 2011 as a craft beer specialist and now stocks over 700 beers and 500 wines. In 2015 The Beerhive was named the Scotland’s best beer shop by Off License News.

Ady Floyd is a beer-loving Canadian living her best life in Glasgow, Scotland. A Certified Beer Specialist since 2021 (via George Brown College), she’s had the honor of judging some of the biggest beer competitions out there—including the World Beer Awards, Canadian Brewers Awards, SIBA, the Scottish National Homebrewers Competition, and several years with the Scottish Beer Awards.

When she’s not sipping, swirling, and scoring brews, Ady runs @JustBeerBanter, where she shines a spotlight on incredible beers and breweries worldwide—all while championing equity and inclusion in the industry.

By day, she’s also a keynote speaker and VP of Client & Brand Success at Trend Hunter, where she dives deep into the latest food and beverage trends. Whether she’s on stage, online, or at the judging table, one thing’s for sure: Ady’s world revolves around great beer and even better conversations. 

Eva is a Glasgow based brewer, Beer Sommelier, Certified Cicerone, and BJCP judge. Formerly a brewer at WEST Brewery, she has since launched her own independent project, Mother Tongue Brewing. She has judged at international competitions including the World Beer Awards, the International Beer Challenge, and the Canada Beer Cup. As a WSET certified educator, she provides face-to-face beer training across Scotland. 

Andrew Gill is the Client Services Director at Contagious – who are experts in the design and delivery of drinks brands. A seasoned professional in the global agency realm, Andrew has over a decade of experience at some of the top strategic branding and design agencies across the globe (Jones Knowles Ritchie, Bulletproof and now Contagious). 

Andrew has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands across the FMCG and Spirits industries such as M&M’s, Heinz, Beam-Suntory, Bacardi, Brown-Forman and many more. Much of his time has been focused on the beer category leading accounts with The Heineken Company (with global and local brands such as Heineken, Amstel, Sol, Strongbow, Cruzcampo, Sagres, and Dos Equis), Fuller’s (London Pride and the full ale portfolio) and Young’s Pubs (ale portfolio and managed estate).

Christie moved into food & drink consultancy last year following a 10 year tenure with Aldi Scotland.  As a Buying Director with Aldi, Christie gave Scottish breweries a platform to grow market reach both locally and nationally whilst elevating the retailers craft range.  Christie is now freelance working with Scottish food and drink producers aiding strategy development to grow sales and profit whilst consulting on branding, range and market insights.

With half a decade spent selling craft beer and half a decade brewing it, Kerr is currently taking his knowledge and moving into brewing consultancy and other work within the food and beverage sector.

Initially learning the ropes with Six Degrees North and the intricacies of Belgian beer, he has spent years reading and researching all things beer and brewing. 

A move to New Zealand where he was meant to be taking a year off ended up with him becoming a brewer and on his return to Scotland he has spent the last 4 years honing his skills in a craft brewery, winning a few awards for his own beers along the way too. Let's see what happens next!

Ruth Evans MBE has been with BFBi (Brewing, Food & Beverage Industry Suppliers’ Association, formed in 1907) for 24 years, the past 21 as CEO.   Representing the value chain supplying the brewing & beverage industry, Ruth supports and lobbies on behalf of her membership.

Ruth is also Director of the International Brewing & Cider Awards, the oldest international brewing & cider awards in the world, judged only by commercially practicing brewers and cider makers.

Ruth gained her MBE in 2012 for services to export and beer.

Amelie Tassin is the Founder and Director of Tipple Marketing, a beer specialist marketing and strategy agency based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With over 15 years’ experience, Amelie has worked across several European sectors from retail banking and property development to cosmetics and food and drink. Her agency's work is truly 'the Swiss Army knife of marketing' and offers tailored services for all needs.

In 2018 she founded Women In Beer, a 'women who beer' group in Edinburgh -  the following year she launched the successful Women In Beer Festival (WIB Fest), a celebration of women in the industry with an impressive roster of events including tap takeovers, talks, and tastings.

In 2023 she launched the Women in Beer Mentorship Programme. Aimed at women who work in the beer and brewing sector, the programme allows them to be paired with experienced women of the industry who will share advice, skills, and access to a wider network.

Amelie has been a judge for many beer competitions in Scotland and the UK and is a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers.

Mike is the Brewing Sales Team Manager for Crisp Malt, overseeing malt sales to brewers across the UK and Western Europe. With a brewing career spanning over two decades, Mike's passion for the craft is rooted in his hands-on experience and deep understanding of the brewing process.

His journey began in 2002 when he joined Thomas Hardy Burtonwood as a lab technician.  Mike fell in love with the science and the process, spending the following years learning the brewing ropes in each department before becoming brewing manager in 2013.  In 2017, Mike joined Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool, overseeing the installation and commissioning of the brewery.  Mike joined Crisp Malt in 2019 as Technical Sales Manager for Scotland, Wales and the West of England.

Aidy Fenwick is a craft beer marketing specialist with 13 years of industry experience, currently Head of Marketing at Fyne Ales. She leads the award-winning FyneFest, showcasing her talent for delivering standout beer events. With Cicerone training and experience judging beers at national competitions, Aidy brings both technical knowledge and a deep appreciation for beer to every project—blending creative vision with industry expertise to elevate brewery brands across the UK.

After graduating with a MSc in Brewing and Distilling in 1998 from Heriot Watt University, Ian joined The Caledonian Brewing Company where he spent 24 years working in various roles including Brewing & Packaging Manager and Quality Assurance Manager. During his time there the brewery changed from an independent company to being part of Heineken and Ian played an integral role in this transition. He also had a key role in overseeing the brewing of iconic beers including Deuchars IPA, Caledonian 80/-, McEwan’s Ales and Murphy’s Irish Stout. After leaving Caledonian he joined Cold Town beer as Head of Production and Quality Control in 2022 where he continues to head up brewing operations in the production of award-winning beers such as Cold Town Lager and Baltic IPA

“Son of a Brother” Chris was raised in a brewery helping label bottles, packing boxes & digging out mashtuns from an early age, it was pretty inevitable he would step into the family business. Now Director at Williams Bros Brewing Co his day to day is still as varied as ever from NPD & Recipe development through events, tech services and working with production & quality to ensure the best beer they can produce.  

I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the best breweries over my 13 year career in the UK on trade. I started my career at Innis & Gunn where my love for craft beer grew and led me onto BrewDog doing just under 6 years between them, working with some of the best MRG’s and independent customers – some where my original taps still remain to this date! I made a swift move over to Asahi UK in 2017 and have been developing our presence within the RTM channel across Scotland the North of England with some award winning beers within our portfolio.

Finlay Nicol is a former chef and long‑time Distillery Manager at Edinburgh Gin, known for his instinctive understanding of spirits and flavour. His culinary background sharpened a highly tuned palate and a practical feel for balance, texture, and complexity. Many years spent in the distillery have deepened his knowledge of how ingredients and process shape character in the glass. Combining hands‑on experience with technical insight, Finlay is widely respected as a confident, reliable judge of spirit quality and flavour.

An accredited Beer Sommelier and member of the Guild of Beer Sommeliers, Daisy brings a wealth of sensory expertise to the judging panel. Her career has been defined by a passion for craft beer, most notably as the founder of the award-winning Craft Beer Newcastle. Through this platform, she has cultivated a vibrant community of enthusiasts and championed independent breweries and beer spaces across the North East of England.

Daisy has judged in multiple beer competitions over the past decade, including the World Beer Awards, Great Taste Awards, and the International Beer Challenge. Her perspective on beer is further shared through her work as a guest beer columnist for Appetite Magazine.

With 25 years of experience in the craft beer and hospitality sectors, Daisy has been co-owner of Tipple Marketing since 2024. She is also a Chartered Marketer, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM), and a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers.

I have worked in the drinks industry for over 30 years; beginning when I was at university where I did a 6 month placement at the Scottish & Newcastle Technical Centre on the Royal Mile.  I have subsequently worked in a number of technical roles within both the brewing and distilling industry (Isle of Man Breweries, Heineken UK, Diageo, Glenmorangie, Innis & Gunn and now Tennents).  I was Brewing & Quality Leader at Innis & Gunn for 4 years before the company closed, after which I was taken on by C&C (Tennents Caledonian Brewery) to work on the integration of the I&G brands into their portfolio.

I have served on the Scottish Section committee for several years, and have been the Section Treasurer and Dinner Secretary for the last 4.  I hold Diplomas in Packaging, Brewing and Distilling from the CIBD, and have written training material for the Diploma in Packaging.

Gordon is a Technical Sales Representative at Cara Technology, where he supports breweries around the world with their sensory training. He has conducted beer taster training courses in breweries across the UK and Europe. As well as helping quality teams develop their sensory skills through training with Aroxa flavour standards, he uses data to highlight areas for improvement while advising on tasting techniques and trouble shooting.
With over 15 years of experience in the drinks industry with a strong background in both hospitality and beer production. He started out learning to properly keep and serve cask ales while curating diverse and sought after beer selections before moving into brewing. He helped breweries define their product range, improve core recipes, and experiment with new styles to meet market demand.

I’m a manager and buyer at my family’s business, Billingtons of Lenzie, where I help shape and maintain our selection. I have a strong interest in both craft and traditional brewing, I enjoy sourcing beers that balance quality, character, and variety. I have completed my award in Beer from WSET, which supports my knowledge and approach to buying. Being part of a long-established family business, I value its heritage while also looking for ways to keep our range fresh and relevant for today’s customers.

Following Rachel’s graduation from the MSc in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot Watt University in 2002; she joined the team at the Scottish & Newcastle Technical Centre in Edinburgh. Completing roles at Fountain and John Smiths Brewery, Rachel moved to S&N’s head office in Edinburgh and following the acquisition by Heineken Rachel spent five years as UK Sensory Manager. In 2012 Rachel joined the team at Innis & Gunn and spent the next five year as Quality and Sensory Manager. Since October 2017 Rachel has worked at the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot Watt University as an Assistant Professor – Brewing, teaching brewing and sensory classes to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Rachel has a keen interest in beer and food matching and enjoys the opportunity to judge at home and international beer competitions.

Niccolò Querci is an accredited Beer Sommelier through the Beer & Cider Academy, an international beer judge—having judged at the Brussels Beer Challenge, Canada Beer Cup, SIBA, Czech Brew Star and Great Taste—and an established beer writer and author, as well as a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers. He wrote the book "Brussels: The Beer Capital" and regularly contributes articles and reviews to the Italian beer blog Cronache di Birra and the Belgian magazine De Zytholoog.

James is the founder and distiller of the Electric Spirit Company, producing spirits in Leith, Edinburgh.

As a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, James previously consulted on brand experience for numerous multi-national businesses, before returning to Scotland and enrolling on the Brewing & Distilling MSc at Heriot Watt. He graduated with distinction, receiving the Brewers’ Company Prize as the course’s top student, as well as the Watt Club Medal as dux litterarum in the School of Life Sciences.

He founded Electric in late 2014, beginning production on a 20 litre still in a tiny industrial unit. The company has since increased capacity and expanded distribution around the world, winning at the Scottish Gin Awards and being named as the coolest spirit brand in Scotland by The Herald, with Ian Buxton placing Electric “at the cutting edge of the vibrant Scottish craft distilling scene” in 101 Gins to Try Before You Die.