The British Columbia Beer Awards (BC Beer Awards) announce sale to The BC Craft Brewers Guild

It is with mixed emotions that Chester Carey and Amanda Barry-Butchart, Directors and Owners of the BC Beer Awards, announce the sale of all intellectual property to the @bccraftbrewersguild This decision comes after careful consideration, as both Carey and Barry-Butchart seek to focus more on their personal lives, careers, and educational pursuits.

The BC Beer Awards, originally founded by Gerry Erith in 2010 with Chester Carey, began as part of the Vancouver Craft Beer Week and later became a standalone event held during BC Craft Beer Month. Amanda Barry-Butchart joined the team in 2012, and the two purchased the awards from Erith in 2017. Over the years, they have worked to expand the event and judging, with the support of a dedicated team and the growing BC craft beer industry.

Carey and Barry-Butchart’s decision to pass the torch to the BC Craft Brewers Guild aligns with the shared mission of both organizations to support and enhance the BC craft brewery community. For many years, the Guild and BC Beer Awards have worked closely together, scheduling their events back-to-back to allow breweries to attend both the BC Beer Con and BC Beer Awards during the same week.

The transition will occur gradually, with both Carey and Barry-Butchart remaining as consultants for the first year to ensure a smooth handover. The Guild has long collaborated with the BC Beer Awards, and there are no immediate changes planned for the event in the coming year.

The announcement concludes with heartfelt gratitude to the executive team, staff, volunteers, partners, vendors, and, of course, the breweries, acknowledging that none of the awards’ success would have been possible without their support and contributions.