MP Michael Dugher (left) toasts Old Moor Porter's gold award with Acorn's David Broadhead.

South Yorkshire’s expanding Acorn Brewery has toasted a top accolade from the North’s independent brewers – with the help of local MP Michael Dugher.
The Barnsley brewer’s Old Moor Porter (4.4%) triumphed with a Gold award in its class at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) North Region Beer Competition. It now goes forward to compete in the national competition in early 2013.
Held at the SIBA Great Northern Beer Festival in Manchester, the annual contest judged a total of 265 cask and 122 bottled beers across 13 categories. SIBA North is the national organisation’s largest region with more than 170 member brewers. The award coincided with visit to the Wombwell brewer by Mr Dugher, MP for Barnsley East and a member of the shadow cabinet (see photograph).

Old Moor Porter is ‘full bodied Victorian style porter with hints of liquorice and fruit cake and a long mellow finish’. It has won several awards from both SIBA and Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) over the past few years.
Acorn sales manager David Broadhead said: “This was an excellent result. For Old Moor Porter to be once again recognised, against very stiff competition, by SIBA is very welcome. It came just in time for a visit from Michael Dug her, who has supported the brewery by selecting Barnsley Bitter for sale in the House of Commons earlier in the year. He was very happy to raise a toast to our success.

“I also had chance to raise some trade issues such as local beer in local supermarkets – Acorn have recently been successful in getting bottled beers into some local Sainsbury’s stores – and the very unpopular annual beer duty escalator which is due for debate soon. He seemed very interested in our views.

“Porter is one of Britain’s most traditional beer styles now enjoying revival. We are particularly pleased to be playing a lead part in that revival. We are seeing very healthy sales growth and Old Moor Porter is a great asset to our portfolio.”

Since launch in 2003 the Wombwell brewery has won more than 50 awards for its core beers – Barnsley Bitter, Barnsley Gold, Old Moor Porter, Sovereign, Gorlvoka Imperial Stout, Acorn Blonde and Yorkshire Pride. Acorn now directly supplies more than 400 pubs in the North and delivers regularly to London, while business grows with leading pub companies. Recently production capacity was expanded to some 150 brewer’s barrels or more than 40,000 pints a week