Quantock Brewery and Cheddar Ales named Champions of the South West at new-look SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2022

Quantock Brewery and Cheddar ales have taken home the two Overall Champion awards in the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) South West Independent Beer Awards, which took place last night at the MaltingsFest beer festival in Newton Abbot.

‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat’, a modern 6.3% New England style hazy IPA took home the top award in the keg beer competition for Quantock – the first time keg has ever been judged at the event as part of a huge shakeup of the awards in 2022. The Overall Champion of the Cask beer competition went to ‘Piney Sleight’ by Cheddar Ales, a Session IPA of 4% with huge aromas of pine and citrus.

“The South West competition is the oldest of all SIBA competitions Nationally so it seems apt that this is where we launch our new and improved SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2022 – featuring a brand new set of keg categories, an international-standard scoring system and hugely experienced ‘lead judges’ on each table. I would like to say a huge congratulations to all of this year’s winners and in  particular Quantock and Cheddar Ales, who really were the best of the best, not only being named best-in-class in their category but then going on to become Overall Champions. Very well done and good luck in the National Finals in Liverpool next year!” Buster Grant, SIBA Competitions Chairman.

The awards, which were presented at MaltingsFest at the old Tucker’s Maltings site, are judged by beer sommeliers, master brewers and other expert beer judges from across the industry. Collecting the award for Quantock was brewer James Higgins, “Fantastic. Speechless! The name for this beer ‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat’ comes from the fact we really needed a bigger brewery to keep up with demand, and it’s beers like this that are the reason for that! We can’t make them quick enough right now and to win the biggest Regional Beer Award going and have the chance to go through to the Nationals is just amazing.” 

Commenting on why the beer proved a hit with judges James added “It’s majorly hop-forward and everything you want from a New England IPA, big tropical fruit and citrus but also silky smooth – we’re absolutely over the moon to have won.”

The Overall Cask Champion award was collected by Cheddar Ales brewing apprentice Joel Hancock, “It’s just amazing to win against so many fantastic breweries and the quality of the beers and judging at this event was the best I have ever seen, so I know how hard it is to walk away with the overall Gold. It’s a beer that just resonates so well with our customers too, loads of hop flavour and aromatic, but also really drinkable and a good session strength. Very proud and happy to accept the award on behalf of our whole team.” 

Members of the public will get a chance to taste the best beers in the South West at the MaltingFest Beer Festival which continues today and this weekend.

SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards – Full Winners list

Overall Champion of the Cask Competition

Sponsored by Charles Faram & Co Ltd BreweryProductABV
Gold Cheddar Ales LtdPiney Sleight4
Silver Cheddar Ales LtdTotty Pot Porter4.4
Bronze Salcombe Brewery Co.Belgica5

Cask Session Dark Beer

  BreweryProductABV
GoldCheddar Ales LtdTotty Pot Porter4.4
SilverDawkins AlesEast Bristol Session Porter4.1
SilverHop Kettle BreweryNorth Wall4.3
SilverYeovil AlesStout Hearted4.3
SilverCastle BreweryMoat Mild4.4
BronzeSouthbourne AlesSunbather4
BronzeDriftwood Spars BreweryPete’s Mild4.4

Cask British Dark Beer

   BreweryProductABV
Gold Castle BreweryCornish Stuggy Stout4.6
Silver Teignmouth Brewery18466.2
Silver Fine Tuned BreweryTwist & Stout4.5
Silver Bridgetown BreweryShark Island Stout4.5
Silver Cheddar Ales LtdVelvet Bottom4.7
Silver HANLONS BREWERYPORT STOUT4.8
Silver Exeter BreweryDarkness5.1
Bronze Epic Beers – Pitchfork AlesOld Slug4.5
Bronze South Hams BreweryDevon Porter5.2
Bronze PALMERS BREWERYTALLY HO!5.5
Bronze Dawkins AlesWe 3 Bears4.5
Bronze Twisted Oak BreweryGhost Town5.7

Cask British Bitter

   BreweryProductABV
GoldTeignmouth BreweryPortside4.3
SilverBays BreweryTopsail4
SilverDawkins AlesBristol Blonde3.8
SilverExeter BreweryFraidnot4
SilverStonehenge Ales LtdHeel Stone4.3
BronzeBranscombe ValeBranoc3.8
BronzeSouthbourne AlesHeadlander4.2
BronzePALMERS BREWERYIPA4.2
BronzeArkell’s Brewery Ltd3B’s4
BronzeLiberation Brewing CompanyLiberation Ale4
BronzeOtter BreweryBitter3.6
BronzeIsca AlesDawlish Bitter4.2
BronzeCheddar Ales LtdPotholer4.3

Cask British Best Bitter 

   BreweryProductABV
Gold Bays Brewery Devon Dumpling5.1
Gold Good Chemistry BrewingExtra Special5.6
Silver Firebrand BrewingBeast of Bodmin5
Silver Epic Beers – Pitchfork AlesEast Street Cream5
Bronze PALMERS BREWERYPALMERS 2005
Bronze Yeovil AlesPOSH IPA5.4
Bronze HANLONS BREWERYSTORMSTAY5
Bronze Dawkins AlesBob Chequers5
Bronze Cheddar Ales LtdCrown and Glory4.6
Bronze Abbey AlesWhite Friar5
Bronze Exmoor AlesExmoor Gold4.5
Bronze Otter BreweryAle4.5

Cask Session Pale Ale

   BreweryProductABV
GoldCheddar Ales LtdPiney Sleight4
GoldPowderkeg BreweryRipple Effect4.2
SilverEight Arch Brewing Co.Square Logic4.2
SilverTeignmouth BreweryTame Ale3.8
SilverFirebrand BrewingPatchwork Rocket4
SilverHop Kettle BreweryCosmic Shake4.4
BronzeStonehenge Ales LtdSpire Ale3.8
BronzeDawkins AlesEaston IPA4.4
BronzeExeter BreweryAvocet3.9
BronzeKeystone BreweryWhiltshire Pale Ale3.8
BronzeLyme Regis BreweryLyme Gold4.2
BronzeBranscombe ValeGolden Fiddle4
BronzeQuantock BreweryQPA4
BronzeFine Tuned BreweryDon’t Worry Be Hoppy4.4

Cask Pale Ale

 Sponsored by ekegplus BreweryProductABV
Bronze Salcombe Brewery Co.Salcombe Pale ale4.6
Bronze Hop Kettle BreweryNeonate4.5
Bronze Cheddar Ales LtdLisa Likes Nelson5

Cask IPA

  BreweryProductABV
BronzeYeovil AlesYeovil Pale Ale7.3
BronzeBarefaced BrewingFlash IPA5.9
BronzeSt Austell BreweryBig Job7.2
BronzeCheddar Ales LtdGoats Leap IPA5.6

Cask Speciality Light Beer

  BreweryProductABV
Gold Salcombe Brewery Co.Belgica5
Silver Keystone BreweryGold Spice4
Bronze Hop Union Brewery & TaproomBloody Nora4.7

Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer

  BreweryProductABV
GoldEpic Beers – 3D BeerCraic On!5
Silvercerne abbas brewerygurt coconuts6.7
BronzeDawkins AlesForesters Black Caramel4.8
BronzeCastle BreweryWinter’s Knight4.5

Cask Imperial & Strong Beer

  BreweryProductABV
Silver Epic Beers – Pitchfork AlesSanta Fe7.3
Bronze Exmoor AlesExmoor Beast6.6

Overall Champion of the Keg Competition

Sponsored byThielmann UK Ltd BreweryProductABV
Gold Quantock BreweryWe’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat6.3
Silver Dawkins AlesForesters Black4.8
Bronze Zerodegrees BristolCloud Waltz4.4

Keg Non-Alcoholic & Low ABV

BreweryProductABV
GoldButcombe Brewing Co.Goram IPA Zero0.5
BronzePowderkeg BreweryGreen Light1.2

Keg Lager

 Sponsored by KegstarBreweryProductABV
Gold Zerodegrees BristolThe Bohemian4.8
Silver Otter BreweryTarka Premium4.8
Silver Firebrand BrewingHelles Beach Cornish Lager4.4
Silver Bays BreweryDevon Rock Craft Lager4.5
Bronze Quantock BreweryLager Than Life4.6
Bronze St Austell BreweryKorev4.8
Bronze Exeter breweryIPL Devons OrganicLager3.9
Bronze Powderkeg BreweryHarmony4.2

Keg Amber & Dark Lager

BreweryProductABV
Gold Zerodegrees BristolCloud Waltz4.4
Silver Utopian Brewing LimitedUtopian Vienna Keller Lager4.8

Keg Pale Ale

 Sponsored by ekegplusBreweryProductABV
GoldFirebrand BrewingThundercloud Hazy Pale5.5
SilverPowderkeg BrewerySpeak Easy4.3
SilverSouth Hams BrewerySundown4.5
SilverStannary Brewing Co.Half Pint Mafia4.8
BronzeRoam Brewing CompanyEveryday Hero5.1
BronzeDawkins AlesWhiplash5.3
BronzeZerodegrees BristolDowntown4.6
BronzePadstow Brewing CoPocket Rocket4
BronzeLiberation Brewing CompanyLiberation Waverider4.2
BronzeBays BreweryDevon Cove Pale Ale4.1
BronzeQuantock BreweryTitanium5.1

Keg IPA

Sponsored by Drinksflow BreweryProductABV
GoldQuantock BreweryWe’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat6.3
SilverStannary Brewing Co.Hare Trigger IPA6.8
BronzeDawkins AlesUltra6.3
BronzeSouth Hams BrewerySherman6.4
BronzeBrewhouse & Kitchen BristolYankee Cabot KV6

Keg Double & Triple IPA

Sponsored by NichesolutionsBreweryProductABV
Gold Stannary Brewing Co.Repeat Offender8.1

Keg Speciality IPA

BreweryProductABV
Bronze Hop Union Brewery & TaproomBloody Nora4.7

Keg Amber, Brown & Red Ale

BreweryProductABV
Gold Stannary Brewing Co.Fathead ‘American Brown Ale’7.4

Keg Stout & Porter

BreweryProductABV
GoldEpic Beers – 3D BeerEbon4.6
SilverSalcombe Brewery Co.Island Street Porter5.9

Keg Imperial & Strong Ale

  BreweryProductABV
Silver Roam Brewing CompanyWonder, Excitement & Wonder6.9

Keg Sour & Wild Ale

BreweryProductABV
Silver Firebrand BrewingPink Lemon6

Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer

BreweryProductABV
GoldDawkins AlesForesters Black4.8

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