Brew York and Rooster’s named best independent craft brewers in the North East
Brew York and Rooster’s Brewery have won the two top awards in the SIBA North East Independent Beer Awards. Their win makes it a one-two for North Yorkshire brewers in a competition entered by breweries from the whole of Yorkshire, as well as Humberside, Cleveland, Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.
The prestigious awards, run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) at the “B-Fest” Beer, Blues & Folk festival held at the Barbican Centre in York, are judged by brewers and beer experts and seen very much as the ‘brewers choice’ awards in the industry.
Brew York Brewery from York took home the overall Gold in the cask competition with their ‘Keras’ American Pale Ale, whereas Rooster’s Brewery in Knareborough was named overall small pack (bottle and can) winner for their Twenty-Four-Seven Session IPA.
Commenting on the competition was SIBA Competitions Committee Chair Guy Sheppard, who presented the awards,
“Thanks to all the judges from all around the country, a great new venue at the York Barbican. Thanks to all of the North East Regional Directors and very well done to the winners. The day went so smoothly and highlighted the high quality of beers coming out of the North East Region.”
Brew York’s Keras is described as a ‘Classic American style session pale, which uses two old-school favourite US hops in Cascade and Chinook. Subtly dry hopped so the fresh citrus and pine notes dominate in this clean, crisp and moreish pale ale’, collecting the award was Owner and Brewer Wayne Smith who had this to say on their win,
“We’re over the moon, the beer festival is in our hometown so we only have to walk five minutes from our brewery to get here, so we hoped we would be in with a chance! Keras is our one off pale ale so to win gold overall is amazing, the cask that we sent in for the competition is our last cask that we had of it – so we might have to brew some more! It’s a classic pale ale with two American hops, Cascade and Chinook, and obviously it’s a crowd pleaser so we’re quite excited to brew it again.”
The smallpack winner, Rooster’s Twenty-Four-Seven is described as a Session IPA which combines ‘Four big-hitting hops, which come together to create a sessionable, hop-forward pale ale with the intensity of a new world IPA. Amarillo, Chinook and Simcoe from the USA work in harmony with New Zealand’s Nelson Sauvin to produce a punchbowl aroma of lemon, tangerine and gooseberry, followed by a balanced grapefruit bitterness.’, commenting on their win was Ian Fozard, Owner of Rooster’s brewery, who said
“This win is a real tribute to the brewery team and all the hard work they put in perfecting the beers. This is a beer that is growing in popularity with our customers and it’s great to see it a hit with judges too!”
The The “B-Fest” Beer, Blues & Folk Festival features 200 of the region’s best independent beers, served through 40 rotating handpulls, alongside local craft cider, street food and of course live music from top local bands. What’s more as the SIBA North East Region’s “Independent Beer Awards” are being judged immediately before the festival opened its doors, locals were the first to try the best-of-the-best beers from the competition.
The beer festival comprises of three ‘sessions’: 6pm until 11.30pm Friday 18th August, 12 noon until 5.30pm Saturday 19th August and 6.30pm until 11.30pm Saturday 19th August – tickets are available for £6 on the door or via the York Barbican website: http://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/b-fest-york-barbican/
Full Winners List
Overall Champion of the Cask Competition
| Sponsored by SPASoft Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Brew York Ltd |
Keras |
4.1 | |
| Silver | Revolutions Brewing Company Ltd | Swoon Chocolate Fudge Milk Stout | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Settle Brewing Company Ltd | Nine Standards No.3 Porter | 4.7 |
Cask Standard Mild Ales & Brown Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Rudgate Brewery Ltd | Ruby Mild | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Ilkley Brewery | Ruby Jane | 4 | |
| Bronze | Ainsty Ales Ltd | Moloko Mild | 3.9 |
Cask Standard Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Murphy & Son Limited | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Settle Brewing Company Ltd | Mainline Bitter | 3.8 | |
| Silver | Cullercoats Brewery Ltd | Shuggy Boat Blonde | 3.8 | |
| Bronze | York Brewery Ltd | Hansom Blonde | 3.9 |
Cask Best Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Charles Faram & Co Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Brew York Ltd | Keras | 4.1 | |
| Silver | Ilkley Brewery | Pale | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Bradfield Brewery Ltd | Farmers Blonde | 4 |
Premium Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Muntons PLC | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Wold Top Brewery | Wold Gold | 4.8 | |
| Silver | York Brewery Ltd | Otherside IPA | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Cullercoats Brewery Ltd | Dry Hop Project #23 Ernest | 4.8 |
Cask Strong Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Rooster’s Brewery Ltd | Baby-Faced Assassin | 6.1 | |
| Silver | Firebrick Brewery | Wey-Aye P.A. | 5.8 | |
| Bronze | Cullercoats Brewery Ltd | Rocket Brigade IPA | 5.5 |
Cask Premium Strong Beers
| Sponsored by Rastal GmbH & Co KG | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Cullercoats Brewery Ltd | Fortification | 7.3 | |
| Silver | Great Heck brewing Co Ltd | Black Jesus | 6.5 | |
| Bronze | North Brewing Co | Transmission | 6.9 |
Cask Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds & Strong Brown Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Settle Brewing Company Ltd | Nine Standards No.3 Porter | 4.7 | |
| Silver | Ossett Brewery | Rat Brewery Mother Rat | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | Acorn Brewery | old moor porter | 4.4 |
Cask Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Mordue Brewery | Blood Orange IPA | 4.9 | |
| Silver | The Bosun’s Brewery | Razamataz | 3.7 | |
| Bronze | Daleside Brewery | ThaiPA | 4 |
Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Revolutions Brewing Company Ltd | Swoon Chocolate Fudge Milk Stout | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Eyes Brewing Limited | Lecker Weisse | 4.7 | |
| Bronze | Sonnet 43 Brew House | The Raven Bourbon Milk Stout | 4.3 |
Champion Small Pack Beers
| Sponsored by Saxon Packaging Limited | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Rooster’s Brewery Ltd | Twenty-Four Seven (24/7) | 4.7 | |
| Silver | Brew York Ltd | Tonkoko | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Three Brothers Brewing Company Limited | Honeysuckle smash | 4 |
Small Pack Standard Mild Ales & Brown Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | The Sheffield Brewery Company | Brunswick Black | 3.5 |
Small Pack Standard Bitters & Pale Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Velo | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Pennine Brewing Co | Natural Gold | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Brass Castle Brewery | Hoptical Illusion | 4.3 |
Small Pack Premium Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Beatson Clark Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Rooster’s Brewery Ltd | Twenty-Four Seven (24/7) | 4.7 | |
| Silver | Rudgate Brewery Ltd | Jorvik Blonde | 4.6 | |
| Bronze | Firebrick Brewery | Stella Spark | 4.5 |
Small Pack Strong Bitters & Pale Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Maxim Brewery | Maximus | 6 | |
| Silver | Saltaire Brewery Ltd | Kala Black IPA | 6.2 | |
| Bronze | Rooster’s Brewery Ltd | Baby-Faced Assassin | 6.1 |
Small Pack Premium Strong Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Hambleton Ales | Nightmare Legend | 6.5 | |
| Silver | York Brewery Ltd | Legion IX | 6.5 | |
| Bronze | Sonnet 43 Brew House | Fierce Panther India Pale Ale | 6.9 |
Small Pack Standard Lager & Pilsners
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Daleside Brewery | Daleside Lager | 4.3 | |
| Silver | Sonnet 43 Brew House | Yellow Cab Lager | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | Brass Castle Brewery | Helles | 4.4 |
Small Pack Premium Lager & Pilsners
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Yorkshire Heart Brewery | Liberty lager | 5 |
Small Pack Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds & Strong Brown Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Glug M’Glug | 6.2 | |
| Silver | Hambleton Ales | Nightmare Porter | 5 | |
| Bronze | York Brewery Ltd | Britania Milk Stout | 4.2 |
Small Pack Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Three Brothers Brewing Company Ltd | Honeysuckle smash | 4 | |
| Silver | North Brewing Co | Volta | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | Yorkshire Heart Brewery | Get Pithed | 4.2 |
Small Pack Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Brew York Ltd | Tonkoko | 4.3 | |
| Silver | Yorkshire Heart Brewery | Rhubarbeer | 3.7 | |
| Bronze | Eyes Brewing Limited | Milch Weisse Nitro | 5 |
