Earl Soham Brewery & Elgoods named top Independent Craft Brewers in East of England

September 21, 2018| Neil Walker | East, SIBA National

Earl Soham Brewery in Suffolk and Elgoods Brewery in Cambridgeshire have taken home the two top spots at the SIBA East Independent Beer Awards, taking home overall Gold in the “cask” and “bottled & canned” beer competitions respectively.

The prestigious awards, run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), and held at Elgood’s Brewery in Wisbech prior to their beer festival opening last night, are judged by brewers and beer experts and seen very much as the brewers’ choice awards in the industry.

Earl Soham Brewery’s “Albert Ale” took home the overall Gold in the cask competition and is a traditional best bitter with delicate bitterness from the British Fuggles hops and a delicious balance of malt and hop character. Elgoods brewery’s “QE Cherry Wheat” is a very different beer altogether – a cloudy wheat beer infused with cherry juice for a sweet, fruity flavour and slight tartness – showing the diversity of these exciting awards

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

“The SIBA East Independent Beer Awards judge the very best cask, bottled and canned beers from the region and the overall winners can be considered the very best of the best in terms of independent craft beers from the area. The winners will now go on to the National finals in Liverpool next year and I wish them all the best of luck, with particular praise due to our overall Champions Earl Soham and Elgoods.”

Collecting the award for Elgood’s brewery was Head Brewer Alan Pateman, who said, “This award is recognition of the hard work that has gone into developing our new-style beers which come from a completely new style of brewing. Our unique, spontaneously fermented sour beers and fruited wheat beers are a new thing for many British drinkers but our Cherry wheat is sweeter and fruity and proving really popular thanks to its approachable, full fruity flavor.”

The competition took place immediately before the opening of the Elgood’s Brewery Beer Festival 2018, taking place at Elgood’s Brewery in Wisbech, which continues today, Friday 21st 5-10.30pm and Saturday 22nd 12 midday until 10.30pm. The festival features over 150 beers from Independent Craft Breweries and will give the chance to be the first to try the regions newly award-winning beers.

SIBA’s East Independent Beer Awards 2018 

FULL RESULTS

Overall Champion of the Cask Competition

Cask

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 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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