The Sheffield Brewery Co and Rooster’s named best independent craft brewers in the North East 2018

August 18, 2018| Neil Walker | North East, SIBA National

The Sheffield Brewery Company 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 Yorkshire brewers in a competition entered by breweries from the whole of Yorkshire, as well as Humberside, Cleveland, Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. It is also the second year running that Rooster’s have taken home the top spot in the bottle & can competition.

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.

The Sheffield Brewery Company took home the overall Gold in the cask competition with their uniquely named “Get Thi’Sen Outdooerz”, whereas Rooster’s Brewery in Knareborough was named bottle and can winner for their “Baby-Faced Assassin IPA”.

Commenting on the competition was SIBA Competitions Committee Chair Guy Shepherd, who presented the awards,

“I would like to say congratulations to all of the winners and in particular Sheffield Brew Co and Rooster’s who took home the prestigious top spots. I’d also like to thank to all the judges from around the country, and our fantastic venue and hosts the York Barbican for our second year here. The quality of independent craft beers being brewed in the North East has never been higher and is testament to the passion and skill of brewers from this exciting beer region.” 

‘Get Thi’Sen Outdooerz’ is described as being ‘refreshing and light, crisp and citrusy, perfect for lazy sessions in a beer garden or after a long bike ride out in the Peaks’. Paddy Spencer from The Sheffield Brew Co accepted the award,

“This is a session IPA, a great fruity beer with a dry hop. Every pub we have sold it to the feedback is incredible and so positive. We originally brewed it just once at the start of summer but have had to keep brewing it to keep up with the demand. It’s amazing to have won overall and picked up 3 awards altogether today. Absolutely dead chuffed and extremely happy.”

The smallpack winner, Rooster’s Baby-Faced Assassin utilizes a single American hop variety ‘citra’ and started off life as an ambitious homebrew by now head brewer Oliver Fozard, before being scaled up as a Roosters beer. Since then it has become a fan favourite in the breweries line-up and is now about to be sold nationwide, as Oliver explains,

“It’s always great to be recognised in any competition. It shows all of the hard work that goes on back the Brewery. Everyone will be absolutely chuffed. It’s a team effort. Baby faced is a single malt & hop beer that is turning into one of our flagships – in fact Baby faced in cans has just gone nationwide in Morrisons and the co-op.”

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 17th August, 12 noon until 5.30pm and then 6.30pm until 11.30pm Saturday 18th August (separate sessions requite separate tickets) – tickets are available for on the door or via the York Barbican website and include your first pint free: http://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-new/b-fest-is-back/

Overall Champion of the Cask Competition

Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Cask British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)

Cask Premium PAs (4.4% to 5.4%)

Cask IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)

Cask Speciality Light Beers

Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers

Cask Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)

Overall Champion of the Bottle/Can Competition

Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Bottle/Can British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can Session IPA (up to 4.3%)

Bottle/Can Premium PA (4.4% to 5.4%)

Bottle/Can IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can Imperial IPA (6.5% and over)

Bottle/Can Session Lager & Pilsner (up to 4.4%)

Bottle/Can Premium Lager & Pilsner (4.5% to 6.4%)

Bottle/Can Speciality Light Beers

Bottle/Can Speciality Mid to Dark Beers

Bottle/Can Sours/Spontaneous

Bottle/Can Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)

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