At this year’s British Guild of Beer Writers awards, the winner of the cider category will be presented with the Susanna Forbes Award for Best Communication about Cider.
Susanna, who died in September, was a former Board member who had a brilliant career in drinks writing and editing in national and trade publications. To honour her legacy, the Guild’s board of directors voted unanimously to rename the cider award, in order to recognise her huge contribution to the sector.
She was a vital ambassador for cider and drinks, educating countless wine and beer writers and producers about the joys of apples and pears – as well as the rich history of cider making in the UK.
In 2017, Susanna and her husband James bought a house and orchard in Herefordshire to start a cidery. Little Pomona, as they named it, went on to become one of the world’s best cider and perry makers with a fantastic reputation for producing refined, modern drinks. It’s since had a huge influence on the resurgence of fine cider both in the UK, and across the world.
In the Board’s mind, that makes her one of the most important drinks writers and producers to have ever plied their craft in the UK. Not only that, but Susanna was instrumental in the addition of cider promotion to the Guild’s Articles of Association.
As a result, the Board felt it only right to celebrate her work by naming the cider award after her for 2025 – with a view of getting the membership’s opinion on whether that should be a permanent change for future years.
Chair of the British Guild of Beer Writers, Jonny Garrett, said:
“Susanna was one of the first industry people I came to know well, and she was exactly the kind of ambassador that beer and cider needed. Her knowledge was remarkable; her passion for both drinks and people infectious, and her generosity with her time unfaltering.
“It was a privilege to have worked with Susanna, and I hope that naming this award after her will help ensure her impact on the industry as a whole is never underestimated.”
