Best Independent Craft Beers in the South West are a German Style ‘Dunkelweizen’ and American-Hopped ‘Session IPA’
A German-style dark wheat beer, traditionally known as a ‘Dunkelweizen’, and an American hopped ‘Session IPA’ have taken home the two top spots in the SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards, showing just how exciting and vibrant the brewing scene is in the South West in 2018.
The awards took place prior to the famous Tuckers Maltings Beer Festival in Newton Abbot and are run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). The trade association represents independent craft brewers across the UK, who are now brewing the broadest range of beer styles ever seen, to quench the thirst for independent craft beer from drinkers and pub-goers.
‘Jurassic Dark’ (5.9%) by Dorset Brewing Co was named overall Champion Cask beer at the competition and is described as a rich dark beer with chocolate and port flavours, and a forest fruits aroma.
‘Ellensberg Session IPA’ (4.3% abv) by Harbour Brewing Co took home the overall Gold in the ‘Bottle & Can’ competition with their aromatic, citrusy and hugely drinkable canned Session IPA, brewed to show off flavours of citrus fruit and punchy American hops.
The awards, which were presented at Tucker’s Maltings Beer festival last night, are judged by fellow brewers and other representatives from the industry, making these the much coveted ‘brewers’ choice’ awards in the South West.
“The standard of the South West beers was fantastic again and we had some really good winners. This was the first time we tried some new beer categories to reflect today’s beer market and the judges thought these worked very well. We feel this is a very positive move for British independent beer.” Guy Sheppard, SIBA Competitions Chairman
SIBA’s Independent Beer Award categories were given a shakeup this year to include more categories for popular IPA’s and other now-popular beer styles, including a new Session IPA category, which Harbour won before taking the overall Gold against bottles and cans in other styles.
“I am really pleased to win this award and it is great to be recognised in this way by our peers – we were against very tough competition and I would just say please go out and enjoy this beer… it is perfect for a sunny afternoon!” Eddie Lofthouse, Director Harbour Brewing.
Session IPAs have proved popular with beer drinkers as they offer the drinkability of a craft lager or pale ale with the addition of the aromatic New World hops you would expect in an India Pale Ale (IPA), which tend to be much stronger in alcohol, typically five, six or evern seven percent alcohol.
The cask winner is a different beast altogether – a German style dark wheat beer with flavours of port and chocolate – but its win also shows the popularity of international styles with British brewers and beer drinkers alike,
“This is my favourite beer we brew. I am so pleased with this result and look forward to this going forward to SIBA’s national beer competition. It is our first crack into the ‘craft beer’ market – it starts here!” Mike Thornton, Dorset Brewing Co.
Members of the public will get a chance to taste the best beers in the South West at the Tucker’s Maltings Beer Festival which continues today and tomorrow. For more information visit http://edwintucker.co.uk/beer-festival/2018-26/#.Wti8dmbMzOQ
Full Winners’ List
SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards 2018
DATE OF JUDGING 19th April
Overall Champion of the Cask Competition
|
Sponsored by Tuckers Maltings |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Dorset Brewing Company | Jurassic Dark | 5.9 | |
| Silver | Twisted Oak Brewery Ltd | Leveret | 4.6 | |
| Bronze | St Austell Brewery | Big Job | 7.2 |
Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
|
|
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Isle of Avalon Brewery | pomparles porter | 4.4 | |
| Silver | New Lion Brewery | Totnes Stout | 4.4 | |
| Bronze | Weighbridge Brewhouse | GWR Mild | 4.0 |
Cask British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)
|
|
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Exeter Brewery | Darkness | 5.1 | |
| Silver | Roam Brewing Co. | Tavy Porter | 5.2 | |
| Bronze | Bristol Beer Factory | Milk Stout | 4.5 |
Cask British Bitters (up to 4.4%)
|
Sponsored by Rastal GmbH & Co. Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Great western Brewing Company | Maiden Voyage | 4.0 | |
| Silver | Bays Brewery | Gold | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Quantock Brewery | Wills Neck | 4.3 |
Cask Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
|
Sponsored by Rankin Brother & Sons |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Twisted Oak Brewery Ltd | Leveret | 4.6 | |
| Silver | Powderkeg Brewery | 6ixes & 7evens | 5.0 | |
| Bronze | Roam Brewing Co. | Sound Bitter | 4.5 |
Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
|
Sponsored by Crisp Malting Group |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Quantock Brewery | QPA | 4.0 | |
| Silver | Powderkeg Brewery | Speak Easy | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | St Austell Brewery | Prophecy | 3.8 |
Cask Premium PAs (4.4 to 5.4%)
|
Sponsored by Murphy & Son Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Kettlesmith Brewing Company | Timeline | 5.4 | |
| Silver | Firebrand Brewing | West Coast Session IPA | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Cheddar Ales Ltd | Frozen Deep | 4.5 |
Cask IPA (5.5 to 6.4%)
|
Sponsored by Charles Faram & Co. Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Electric Bear Brewing Company | Above The Clouds | 6.2 | |
| Silver | Eight Arch Brewing Co. | Corbel | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | Dawkins Ales | Ultra | 6.2 |
Cask Speciality Light Beers
|
Sponsored by SPASoft Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Moor Beer Company | Do It Together | 5.2 | |
| Silver | Great western Brewing Company | Bees Knees | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Hunters Brewery Ltd | crispy pig | 4.0 |
Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
|
|
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Dorset Brewing Company | Jurassic Dark | 5.9 | |
| Silver | Gyle 59 | Brad’s Coffee Stout | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Brewhouse and Kitchen Ltd Bristol | BA Maple Sap Scotch **Barrel aged** | 6.4 |
Cask Strong Beers 6.5% and over
|
Sponsored by Bulk Storage & Process Systems Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | St Austell Brewery | Big Job | 7.2 | |
| Silver | Exmoor Ales | Exmoor Beast | 6.6 | |
| Bronze | New Lion Brewery | Double Stout | 7.4 |
Champion Bottle/Can Beers
|
Sponsored by SPASoft Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Harbour Brewing Company | Ellensberg Session IPA | 4.3 | |
| Silver | St Austell Brewery | Big Job | 7.2 | |
| Bronze | Liberation Brewery | Liberation Ale | 4.0 |
Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Castle Brewery | Moat Mild | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Yeovil Ales | Stout Hearted | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | New Lion Brewery | Totnes Stout | 4.4 |
Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Electric Bear Brewing Company | Inspector Remorse | 4.7 | |
| Silver | Roam Brewing Co. | Tavy Porter | 5.2 | |
| Bronze | PALMERS BREWERY | TALLY HO! | 5.5 |
Bottle/Can British Bitters (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Liberation Brewery | Liberation Ale | 4.0 | |
| Silver | Padstow Brewing Company | Padstow Pale Ale | 3.6 | |
| Bronze | Quantock Brewery | Rale Head | 3.9 |
Bottle/Can Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Cheddar Ales Ltd | Karst | 4.9 | |
| Silver | Arkells Brewery | Moonlight | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | DARTMOOR BREWERY LTD | Jail Ale | 4.8 |
Bottle/Can Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
|
Sponsored by Beatson ClarkLtd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Harbour Brewing Company | Ellensberg Session IPA | 4.3 | |
| Silver | Great western Brewing Company | Hambrook Pale Ale | 4.0 | |
| Bronze | PALMERS BREWERY | PALMERS IPA | 4.2 |
Bottle/Can Premium PAs (4.4 to 5.4%)
|
Sponsored by Niche Solutions (GB) Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Brewhouse and Kitchen Ltd Bournemouth | Yankee Hack | 4.8 | |
| Silver | Quantock Brewery | Titanium | 5.1 | |
| Bronze | Art Brew | AB6 DDH | 4.6 |
Bottle/Can Can IPA (5.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Eight Arch Brewing Co. | Corbel | 5.5 | |
| Silver | Firebrand Brewing | Graffiti IPA | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | Beat Ales | Funk | 5.5 |
Bottle/Can Session Lager & Pilsners
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Keltek Cornish Brewery | Swifties Cornish Lager | 4.0 | |
| Silver | Harbour Brewing Company | Helles Lager | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Hunters Brewery Ltd | Devon Maid Lager | 4.4 |
Bottle/Can Premium Lager & Pilsners
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Harbour Brewing Company | Pilsner Lager | 5.0 | |
| Silver | ZerodegreesZER1 | Pilsner | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Powderkeg Brewery | Cut Loose | 4.7 |
Bottle/Can Speciality Light Beers
|
Sponsored by SPASoft Ltd
|
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Red Rock Brewery Ltd | Honey Slow Beer | 5.0 | |
| Silver | Hop Kettle Brewing Co. | Busaba Saison | 5.3 | |
| Bronze | Skinners Brewery Company Ltd | Hops and Honey | 4.0 |
Bottle/Can Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Dawkins Ales | Foresters Black | 4.9 | |
| Silver | Hop Kettle Brewing Co. | Flapjack Marmalade | 7.7 | |
| Bronze | Padstow Brewing Company | 317 | 7.4 |
Bottle/Can Strong Beers 6.5% and over
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | St Austell Brewery | Big Job | 7.2 | |
| Silver | Moor Beer Company | Old Freddy Walker | 7.3 | |
| Bronze | Firebrand Brewing | Impy Stout | 10.0 |
