Lager tops beer competition

Brewers across the north of England came away from the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) annual BeerX gathering in Sheffield with a decidedly bronzed look. Not that South Yorkshire was particularly sunny, but apart from a magnificent result by Hawkshead Brewery in gaining a gold award for Lakeland Lager (5.0% abv), bronze certificates were the order of the day.

Selected results include: Cullercoats Pilot (4.8% abv), York Blonde (3.8% abv), Daleside Monkey Wrench (5.3% abv), Hambleton Thoroughbred Pale Ale (5.0% abv) and Hardknott Dark Dark Energy (4.9% abv).

In all, there were three Supreme awards handed out. Burning Sky Brewery from East Sussex was awarded gold in the keg beer category for its Easy Answers IPA (6.0% abv). Williams Brothers Black (4.2% abv) from Scotland took gold in the cask ale section, while another Scottish brewery Fyne Ales – and great favourite among North East drinkers – won the top prize in the small pack category with Mills & Hills (9.8% abv).