Cullercoats Brewery and Ossett Brewery awarded best independent craft beers in the North East
Cullercoats Brewery in North Shields and Ossett Brewery in West Yorkshire have taken the two top spots in the Society of Independent Brewers’ SIBA North East Independent Beer Awards, which took place yesterday (3rdMay), with beer judging taking place throughout the day until the awards presentation at Gateshead Beer & Music Festival, which continues today.
Cullercoats Brewery took home overall Gold in the cask beer competition with their ‘Polly Donkin Oatmeal Stout’, a rich, thick and creamy stout which proved a hit with the expert judges. Ossett Brewery won the overall gold in the bottle & can competition with ‘Alpaca’, an aromatic double dry-hopped IPA brewed under their new SALT Beer Factory brand.
The awards are judged by fellow brewers and other representatives from the industry, making these the much coveted ‘brewers’ choice’ awards in the North East, including beers from brewers spanning Berwick-upon-Tweed to Sheffield. Accepting the top cask beer award for Cullercoats was Bill Scantlebury, Head brewer,
“This is the most important award for us to to win as it’s judged by our peers. It’s a fantastic pat on the back from our fellow brewers and we’re very proud to win. It’s great to see a traditional beer like this winning against such varied competition too, with all of the amazing beers in this competition it’s brilliant that a traditional British Oatmeal stout can win.”
Describing the winning beer Bill added,
“It’s got a complex recipe with seven different grains and all British hops – Bramling Cross and Jester – which give fruity flavours on top of that lovely roasted malt base, which is very creamy tasting from the oats.”
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) represents independent craft brewers across the UK, who are now brewing the broadest range of beer styles ever seen, to quench the thirst for independent craft beer from drinkers and pub-goers. Presenting the awards was SIBA’s Head of PR & Marketing Neil Walker,
“The quality of beer in this competition was astounding, with a real variety of styles including more modern New England style hazy IPA’s and fruited sour beers going head to head with traditional porters, stouts and barleywines in the final judging. I’d like to congratulate all of the winners and in particular Cullercoats and Ossett who took the overall top spots – winning these awards is a huge achievement and I wish you the best of luck at the National finals next year!”
Winners from the North East Region now go forward to compete at the national finals in Liverpool early next year.
The Gateshead Beer & Music Festival where the judging took place is run in Association with SIBA and is located in Low Fell between Durham Road and Old Durham Road – the festival continues today and sunday.
Full Winners List:
Overall Champion Cask Beer
| Sponsored by Murphy & Son Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Cullercoats Brewery | Polly Donkin Oatmeal Stout | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Brass Castle Brewery | Annexation | 8.3 | |
| Bronze | Daleside Brewery Ltd | Monkey Wrench | 5.3 |
Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Cullercoats Brewery | Polly Donkin Oatmeal Stout | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Goose Eye Brewery Ltd. | Black Moor | 3.9 | |
| Bronze | First & Last Brewery | Red Rowan | 4 |
Cask British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | BAD CO | Dark Necessities | 5.5 | |
| Silver | Bridgehouse Brewery LTD | BRIDGEHOUSE PORTER | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Treboom Brewery | Orion’s Belt | 4.5 |
Cask British Bitters (up to 4.4%)
| Sponsored by Charles Faram & Co. Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Acorn Brewery | Barnsley Bitter | 3.8 | |
| Silver | Timothy Taylor’s | Landlord | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | Capability Brown | 4 |
Cask Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by Rankin Brother & Sons | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Daleside Brewery Ltd | Monkey Wrench | 5.3 | |
| Silver | Hexhamshire Brewery | Whapweasel | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | North Yorkshire Brewing Co Ltd | Flying Herbert | 4.7 |
Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
| Sponsored by Rastal GmbH & Co. Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Hambleton Brewery | SOCIAL LUBRICANT | 3.9 | |
| Silver | Ainsty Ales | Flummoxed Farmer | 4 | |
| Bronze | Ossett Brewing Company Ltd | White Rat | 4 |
Cask Premium PAs (4.4 to 5.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Great North Eastern Brewing Company LTD | Hopnicity | 5 | |
| Silver | Three Brothers Brewing Company Limited | Hopical Storm | 5.3 | |
| Bronze | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | 24 7 | 4.7 |
Cask IPA (5.5 to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by Simpsons Malt | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Ilkley Brewery | Lotus | 5.9 | |
| Silver | Maxim Brewery | Medusa | 5.6 | |
| Bronze | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | Baby-Faced Assassin | 6.1 |
Cask Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | BAD CO | OFF Tempo 05-18 Milkshake IPA | 5.8 | |
| Silver | Brass Castle Brewery | Fruit Lupe | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Ainsty Ales | Wild Wheat | 4.7 |
Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Maxim Brewery | Raspberry Porter | 5 | |
| Silver | Hambleton Brewery | BLACK FOREST | 5 | |
| Bronze | Ossett Brewing Company Ltd | Black Voodoo | 5.1 |
Cask Strong Beers 6.5% and over
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | Brass Castle Brewery | Annexation | 8.3 | ||
| Silver | Bridgehouse Brewery LTD | DANDYLION | 7 | ||
Overall Champion Bottle/Can Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Ossett Brewing Company Ltd | Alpaca | 6.6 | |
| Silver | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | Baby-Faced Assassin | 6.1 | |
| Bronze | Cullercoats Brewery | Royal Sovereign Barley Wine | 11 |
Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Wensleydale Brewery | Black Dub | 4.4 | |
| Silver | The Hop Studio Ltd | Porter | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Cullercoats Brewery | Polly Donkin Oatmeal Stout | 4.3 |
Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Hadrian Border Brewery | Ouseburn Porter | 5.2 | |
| Silver | Maxim Brewery | Maximus | 6 | |
| Bronze | Ilkley Brewery | Hanging Stone | 5 |
Bottle/Can British Bitters (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Acorn Brewery | Yorkshire Pride | 3.7 | |
| Silver | Hambleton Brewery | STALLION | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Treboom Brewery | Kettle Drum | 4.3 |
Bottle/Can Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Hadrian Border Brewery | Grainger Ale | 4.6 | |
| Silver | Black Sheep Brewery | Yorkshire Square | 5 | |
| Bronze | Ilkley Brewery | Hendrix | 4.9 |
Bottle/Can Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Velo | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Ainsty Ales | Flummoxed Farmer | 4 | |
| Bronze | Ilkley Brewery | Limbo | 1.2 |
Bottle/Can Premium PAs (4.4 to 5.4%)
| Sponsored by Beatson ClarkLtd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Twice Brewed Brew House | Northern Frontier | 5.3 | |
| Silver | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | 24 7 | 4.7 | |
| Bronze | Hambleton Brewery | THOROUGHBRED | 5 |
Bottle/Can Can IPA (5.5 to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by Simpsons Malt | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | Baby-Faced Assassin | 6.1 | |
| Silver | Black Sheep Brewery | Pathmaker | 5.6 | |
| Bronze | Brass Castle Brewery | Sunshine | 5.7 |
Bottle/Can Can Imperial IPA (6.5% and over)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | Ossett Brewing Company Ltd | Alpaca | 6.6 | ||
| Silver | Black Sheep Brewery | Legion IX | 6.5 | ||
Bottle/Can Session Lager & Pilsners
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Daleside Brewery Ltd | Lager | 4.30 | |
| Silver | Firebrick Brewery Limited | Giuseppe | 4.30 | |
| Bronze | Hadrian Border Brewery | Tyne Pilsner | 4.10 |
Bottle/Can Premium Lager & Pilsners
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | 54 Degrees North | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Treboom Brewery | Trommel | 5.1 | |
| Bronze | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | Pilsnear | 4.8 |
Bottle/Can Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Pineapple IPA | 5.3 | |
| Silver | Brass Castle Brewery | Fruit Lupe | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Three Brothers Brewing Company Limited | Honeysuckle smash | 4 |
Bottle/Can Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Choc & Orange Stout | 6.1 | |
| Silver | First & Last Brewery | Damson Porter | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Ilkley Brewery | Fruition | 5.5 |
Bottle/Can Sours/Spontaneous
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Limoncello Sour | 3.8 | |
| Silver | Rooster’s Brewing Co. | One Trick Pony | 4.1 |
Can Strong Beers 6.5% and over
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | Cullercoats Brewery | Royal Sovereign Barley Wine | 11 | ||
| Silver | Brass Castle Brewery | Monsters Of The Deep | 6.5 | ||
