HIT’s UnTapped Brewer Competition is back for 2025

Last year raised the bar. This year, we’re raising it even higher – the UnTapped Brewer Competition 2025 is officially on!

The 2025 ‘UnTapped’ Apprentice Brewer of the Year competition challenges brewer apprentices to create the best tasting original recipe beer – and showcase their skills on a national stage.

Open to all current apprentices and those who completed the HIT Level 4 Brewer programme in 2025, a team of expert judges are ready and waiting to unveil the next batch of brewing talent, looking for not only technical skills and knowledge but creative skills too. 

This truly is a competition that puts brewers on the map!

Here’s what last year’s winner Tom Naylor from Little Mesters Brewing said:

“One of my proudest moments has been creating my own beer, Crag, which has been really well received by our customers. The knowledge I’ve gained through HIT Training has allowed me to take more creative control and bring fresh ideas to the brewery. My increased confidence and understanding of brewing processes have definitely made a positive impact on the business.”

What the competition involves:

The preliminary ‘Into the Mash Tun’ round asks brewers to submit an original beer recipe. Entrants will be asked to explain the provenance and characteristics of its principal ingredients and how it contributes to the beer’s style and character.

This will include colour, beer style, flavourings, choice of yeast strain and International Bitterness Units. Ingredients must be readily available at commercial rates from standard industry suppliers to meet entry requirements.

Apprentices are also required to provide a story of why they got into brewing, summarising their journey so far and offering their ambitions for the future.

Judges will be looking for original flavour profiles and how they suggest certain characteristics in the beer.

The top six beers – known as ‘The Super Six’ – will then be marked by judges on their aroma, appearance, flavour balance and mouthfeel as measured against the characteristics indicated in their submission.

The final

The ‘UnTapped’ competition’s grand finale will take place at the Brewer Apprenticeship Graduation event at the Albert Hall Conference Centre, Nottingham on Thursday 23rd October where the overall winner will be crowned!

Keeping you posted

The deadline for entries is Thursday 31st July, and we’d like to wish everyone the best of luck. Look out for our socials for ‘UnTapped’ updates.