South East’s Best Craft Beers Revealed: Just in time for Christmas
The best beers in the South East have today been revealed with the announcement of this year’s winners in the SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2022 – the UK’s leading beer competition judged by brewers, beer sommeliers and expert tasters.
The winning bottled and canned beers from across Greater London and the South East will now go forward to fight it out with the best from across the UK in the National finals, taking place in the New Year.
Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes were awarded to breweries from across the region in a variety of beer styles; from hoppy IPAs and Pale Ales, to Lagers, and more unusual beers such as a Chocolate Fudge Stout, Pumpkin Spice Porter, and even a cucumber and mint Tzatziki-inspired sour beer.
This year’s South East Gold Award Winning beers, meaning they scored 90+ with the independent awards judging panel, were;
Abyss Brewing – ‘Gonzo’ Lager 4.6%, Hackney Church Brew Co. – ‘St. Clements’ Wheat beer 5%, Long Man Brewery – ‘Old Man’ Bitter 4.3%, Double-Barrelled – ‘Parka’ Pale Ale 4.5%, Three Acre Brewery – ‘Blood Orange’ Pale Ale 4.9%, Unity Brewing Co. – ‘Only The Sea’ IPA 6.2%, Disruption I Brewing, ‘Even More Chaos’ DIPA 8%, Orbit Beers – ‘Dead Wax London Porter’ 5.5%, Elusive Brewing- ‘I’m Gonna Bee’ Honey Imperial Stout 11%, Orbit Beers – ‘Tzatziki Sour’ 4.3%, and Hammerton Brewery – ‘City of Cake’ Chocolate Fudge Stout 5.5%.
The SIBA Bottle & Can Independent Beer Awards 2022 are judged by a fleet of expert judges from across the UK, with beers marked against internationally recognized style guides for the different beer award categories – looking at appearance, aroma, flavour, aftertaste and saleability.
Buster Grant is SIBA’s Competitions Committee Chair and helped run the two-day judging, “The SIBA Independent Beer Awards are one of the largest and most influential beer competitions in the UK, with a rigorous judging system ensuring only the very best beers take home medals. If you’re looking for a local independent craft beer to stock up on this Christmas – or for the perfect present for a beer-loving friend or family member – then look no further.”
SIBA are the voice of British independent brewing and as well as the SIBA Bottle & Can Independent Beer Awards also run Regional and National competitions for cask and keg beer – all judged by beer sommeliers, experienced beer judges and perhaps most importantly fellow brewers – making these awards very much the ‘brewers choice’ awards for beer in the UK.
SIBA South East Independent Bottle & Can Beer Awards 2022
Bottle & Can Non Alcoholic & Low ABV
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Bronze | Hammerton Brewery | ZED | 0.5 |
Bottle & Can Lager
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Abyss Brewing | Gonzo | 4.6 |
| Silver | Anspach & Hobday | The Lager: Kolsch Style | 4.5 |
| Silver | Gun Brewery | Numb Angel Lager | 4 |
| Silver | The Park Brewery | 1637 Pils | 4.9 |
| Bronze | Exale Brewing | Zorc | 5.2 |
| Bronze | By The Horns Brewing Co. | West End Pils | 4 |
| Bronze | Hackney Church Brew Co | Halo | 5.1 |
| Bronze | Signature Brew | Studio Lager | 4 |
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Hackney Church Brew Co | St. Clements | 5 |
| Silver | Powder monkey | Mary Rose | 4.6 |
| Silver | Anspach & Hobday | The Wheat Beer | 4.5 |
| Bronze | Tap Social Movement x Fauna Brewing | Start Somewhere | 5.1 |
Bottle & Can Bitter
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Long Man Brewery | Old Man | 4.3 |
| Silver | Anspach & Hobday | The Ordinary Bitter | 3.7 |
Bottle & Can Pale Ale
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | DOUBLE-BARRELLED | PARKA | 4.5 |
| Gold | Three Acre Brewery | Blood Orange Pale | 4.9 |
| Silver | Bedlam | High Tide | 3.9 |
| Silver | Unity Brewing Co | Conflux | 4.8 |
| Silver | Long Man Brewery | Twenty12 Pale | 4.6 |
| Silver | Cellar Head Brewing Company | Amitola | 4.2 |
| Bronze | Disruption Is Brewing | Demockracy | 4 |
| Bronze | Powder monkey | Drop Anchor | 4.6 |
| Bronze | Loud Shirt Brewing Co LTD | Hazed & Confused NEIPA | 4.5 |
| Bronze | Renegade Brewery | Queensbury Jack Session IPA | 4.8 |
| Bronze | Neckstamper Brewing | Moon Curser | 5.2 |
| Bronze | Hackney Brewery | Boogie Van | 5.5 |
Bottle & Can IPA
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Unity Brewing Co | Only The Sea | 6.2 |
| Silver | Powder monkey | Explosion IPA | 6 |
| Bronze | Cellar Head Brewing Company | Wonderland | 5.8 |
| Bronze | Bedlam | Hunky Dory | 6.2 |
Bottle & Can Double & Triple IPA
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Disruption Is Brewing | Even More Chaos | 8 |
Bottle & Can Amber, Brown & Red Ale
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Bronze | Tonbridge Brewery | Parallel 49 | 4.5 |
Bottle & Can Stout & Porter
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Orbit Beers | Dead Wax London Porter | 5.5 |
| Silver | By The Horns Brewing Co. | Lambeth Walk | 5.1 |
| Silver | London Beer Lab | Stout | 5.2 |
| Silver | Neckstamper Brewing | Bonebox Cooler | 4.4 |
| Bronze | Tap Social Movement | Inside Out | 5.5 |
| Bronze | The Cronx Brewery | Entire | 5.2 |
Bottle & Can Imperial & Strong Ale
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Elusive Brewing | I’m Gonna Bee | 11 |
| Silver | Disruption Is Brewing | Cereal Thrilla | 7.2 |
Bottle & Can Sour & Wild Ale
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Orbit Beers | Tzatziki Sour | 4.3 |
| Silver | ORA brewing | Prickly margarita | 7.5 |
| Silver | Hackney Brewery | Millions Of Peaches | 4 |
Bottle & Can Speciality & Flavoured Beer
| Brewery | Beer | ABV | |
| Gold | Hammerton Brewery | City Of Cake | 5.5 |
| Silver | Deviant & Dandy | Lobsters On South Beach | 2.5 |
| Silver | Elusive Brewing | Carve’n Yams | 5.2 |
| Bronze | ORA brewing | Balsamic imperial stout | 10 |
