2025 has certainly been an interesting year. One in which I had a memorable big birthday, Andrew became The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, Chancellor Rachel Reeves didn’t lie, and we were all blown away by Netflix’s one-take wonder Adolescence. In our wee world of beer we were treated to the long-awaited Jubilate Festival in Belfast and it became apparent that Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons only listens to one side of a debate. That being the other side.

Regards our local breweries, 2025 sadly saw the end of brewing at Hilden – the oldest independent brewery on the island of Ireland. Established 44 years ago in 1981, Hilden was a gateway brewery for many – myself included – and I’ll certainly miss classics such as its wheat beer Barney’s Brew and red ale Halt.

At the upper end of the positivity scale, it seems the new taprooms at Lacada in Portrush and Beer Hut in Kilkeel are going from strength to strength – add in those already on site at Walled City, Out of Office and Boundary and the scene looks in decent shape. Then there’s Mourne Mountains Brewery tap room in Warrenpoint town, Fermanagh Beer at Old Pal’s bar in Derrygonnelly, Rough Brothers and Dopey Dick in Derry’s Guildhall Taphouse and The Deer’s Head brewpub in Belfast just around the corner from countless more Boundary taps at The John Hewitt. Oh aye, can’t forget Bullhouse East too. Modest has increased capacity following the move to Bangor and there’s good news from Treble Brewing, due to open near Belfast in the new year.

We saw more top festivals across Northern Ireland in 2025 – CAMRA NI’s Belfast Beer and Cider Festival made a great return to the Banana Block in Belfast – following other successes in Portrush, Outpost in Lisbellaw, Bullapalooza at Bullhouse East and the earlier-mentioned Jubilate finally taking place at Boundary.

Despite the best intentions of Gordon Lyons and Ulster’s local hospitality body, our independent beer scene is flourishing and this is reflected in the quality level from many of our breweries. But what tickled my fancy most in 2025? What did I think stood out from a very busy crowd? Well, as sure as December brings a pub fight to the EastEnders Christmas Day episode, it also offers my Golden Pints Awards. My favourites of the year, if you will. Like the Sports Personality of the Year, but without any cricketers. Grab a beer, get comfy and here we go…

Northern Ireland New Beer of the Year: HAZY CAPRESE – HEANEY

This category was a really tough one to call. Mal at Heaney had this beer pouring at the Jubilate festival in May and what a great beer it was. Sometimes the best beers are the ones that surprise you the most, as this did me. Hazy Caprese is a pale ale brewed with basil leaves, which turned it into the perfect pizza accompaniment – at a beer festival. Mwah. Oh yes!

Honourable mentions:
* Sweet As #7 (WC IPA) – Modest
* Collabyrinth (American Stout) – Mourne Mountains & Bullhouse
* Don’t Do Roads (NE IPA) – Boundary & DEYA
* Untitled Release (Export Stout) – Boundary & The Kernel
* St. Patrick’s 2025 (Double IPA) – Modest
* Double Galaxy/Mosaic Milkshake 2025 (Double IPA) – Beer Hut

Northern Ireland New Collaboration Beer of the Year: COLLABYRINTH – MOURNE MOUNTAINS & BULLHOUSE

You know you’re a bona fide hophead when your favourite stout is an American Stout – that being a stout which is more hop forward that European versions. I had this Warrenpoint and Belfast collab a few times over the year, getting bold and delicious hoppy, espresso coffee and pine nut flavours.

Honourable mentions:
* Don’t Do Roads (NE IPA) – Boundary & DEYA
* Untitled Release (Export Stout) – Boundary & The Kernel
* Happy Our (West Coast IPA) – Out of Office & Our Brewery

Northern Ireland Brewery of the Year: BEER HUT

As I mentioned earlier in the post, there’s been a lot of positive activity from many breweries in Northern Ireland, so it was really difficult to choose one. However, the boys at Beer Hut edge it with fantastic beers and a thriving new taproom all sat in the beer metropolis of Kilkeel town centre.

Irish But Not Northern Irish Beer of the Year: WARRIOR (2025) – LOUGH GILL

This beast of a 15% ABV stout came on tap on the final day of the Belfast Beer Festival and, boy, it didn’t hang around for long. It’s been aged in casks of the smoke bomb that is the Islay whiskey, Laphraoig, so that’s really all you need to know. If you don’t like peaty whiskey or smoky beers, steer clear of this – which means all the more for the rest of us.

Honourable mentions:
* Princess Peach (BA Peach Brett) – Third Barrel
* Cake Dealer BA Choc Brownie Rye Whiskey (Imperial Stout) – Otterbank
* Jackrabbit (Ginger Beer) – Kinnegar
* Festa Nuda (Imperial Stout) – The White Hag
* Imperial Oatmeal Stout – Lough Gill

GB Beer of the Year: THE LIGHT GATHERER – SIREN

This is the second year in a row Siren has won this category, this year courtesy of a 13.6% ABV barley wine. The Light Gatherer has been aged for 4 years in Heaven Hill bourbon casks resulting in a sweet and juicy, dark figgy sipper. Add in elements of vanilla, woody spice and Christmas cake and my only gripe is I wish I could find more bottles.

Honourable mentions:
* Abaddon (Imperial Stout) –Tartarus
* Empress Tonkoko (Imperial Stout) – Brew York
* Darth by Caribbean Chocolate Cake (Imperial Stout) – Siren
* Cherry on Top (Mead) – Hive Mind
* Swedish Buzzsaw (Double IPA) – Azvex

Northern Ireland Pub of the Year: THE DOG AND DUCK INN, Lisbellaw, Co. Fermanagh

The Dog and Duck is a fantastic, award winning gastropub out in the wilds of County Fermanagh serving local, indie beer on draught and cask. It’s the home of the highly enjoyable Outpost Festival every August and is the venue for the newly created Fermanagh and West CAMRA branch. Owners Margaret and John do an incredible job and are bloody nice people too. Pay them a visit as soon as you can, you’ll not regret it.

Northern Ireland Independent Retailer of the Year: DC WINES, Belfast

Multiple-time winners of this category, Dave and Curtis at DC continue to strike the perfect balance of desirable stock availability, impressive product knowledge, an acceptable price point and enjoyable customer service. Thanks guys.

And so, as the triple IPA of time is followed by the half hour of heartburn, 2025 comes to a close. I’d like to thank every one of you for reading my gubbins on social media and I wish every brewery, good beer pub and indie bottle shop the very best for the New Year. Cheers!