Wolf Brewery, North Brewing Co and Tring Brewery named best in the UK at SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2018
Wolf Brewery and North Brewing Co have taken home Overall Champion Gold in the Cask and Keg Awards at the SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2018, with Tring Brewery being named the best bottled or canned beer.
Judged by brewers and industry experts and organised by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) at their flagship BeerX event in Liverpool, the awards run across a huge range of beer style categories in cask, craft keg, bottle and can.
The Champion Cask beer is Sirius Dog Star from Wolf brewery and is described as being a ‘uniquely flavoured red ale, lightly hopped with American Galena and Cluster hops, a smooth beer with a soft fruity finish’, it was Transmission from North Brewing Co that took home the top gong in the Craft Keg competition with their ‘hugely drinkable Beer with a light body and dry finish’ , in the bottle and can competition (known as ‘smallpack’ by those in the trade) it was Death or Glory from Tring Brewery, A ‘rich, sweet barley wine with a heady, alcoholic nose and incredibly complex flavour profile.’
Georgina Edwards, Wolf Brewery:
“A lot of blood sweat and tears goes into that beer so it means a huge amount to win. It means the world to the family. We were aiming for a smooth, dark session beer that is accessible but with huge flavour – something I think we achieved!”
John Gyngell, North Brewing Co:
“This award means so much to the whole team, who have been hustling hard and constantly growing the business and making great beer. This beer started life as a trial brew before our brewer Seb even joined us full time. He’s still constantly improving it, and now with this beer we think we’ve nailed that combination of drinkability and a modern, full flavour.”
Sam reed, Tring Brewery:
“One of our original founders was a royal lancer and this beer is his creation – it’s proved so popular we’ve been brewing it ever since! We just think it’s a great barley wine and it’s nice to know that we’re doing the right things after all these years of brewing it.”
The SIBA Independent Beer Awards at BeerX are the trade association’s National finals and in order to earn a place at the competition brewers must first win at their regional competition – making these overall Champions very much the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to British independent craft beer.
SIBA Chairman Buster Grant, a brewer himself at Brecon Brewing in Wales, congratulated the winners on their huge achievement:
“Making it to the finals is an achievement in itself, winning your style category is something to be even more proud of, and then going on to be named the Overall Champion Gold against such tough competition really is something truly special. These are the three best beers from independent craft brewers across cask, keg, bottle and can – beers which I would encourage both beer drinkers and publicans across the UK to seek out while they still can, as demand for these beers is surely about to go through the roof!”
SIBA’s National Independent Beer Awards 2018
Full Winners List
Overall Cask Champions
| Sponsored by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Wolf Brewery | Sirius Dog Star | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Oakham Ales | Green Devil IPA | 6.0 | |
| Bronze | Bedlam Brewery Ltd | Porter | 5.0 |
Cask Champion Standard Mild Ales & Brown Ales
| Sponsored by Murphy & Sons Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Wolf Brewery | Sirius Dog Star | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Langham Brewery | Triple XXX | 4.4 | |
| Bronze | Jaw Brew | Fathom | 4.0 |
Cask Champion Standard Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Wye Valley Brewery | The Hopfather | 3.9 | |
| Silver | Purity Brewing Company | Bunny Hop | 3.5 | |
| Bronze | Lacons Brewery | Encore | 3.8 |
Cask Champion Best Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Napthens LLP | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Grain Brewery | Redwood | 4.3 | |
| Silver | Brew York Ltd | Keras | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | Ludlow Brewing Company | Blonde | 4.0 |
Premium Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Thomas Fawcett & Sons | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Hooded Ram Brewing Company | Liberty East Coast Pale | 4.8 | |
| Silver | Dark Star Brewing Co Ltd | American Pale Ale | 4.7 | |
| Bronze | The Backyard Brewhouse | Gold | 4.5 |
Cask Champion Strong Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Charles Faram & Co Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Oakham Ales | Green Devil IPA | 6.0 | |
| Silver | Rooster’s Brewery Ltd | Baby-Faced Assassin | 6.1 | |
| Bronze | Cairngorm Brewery | Wildcat | 5.1 |
Cask Champion Premium Strong Beers
| Sponsored by Crisp Malting Group | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Big Smoke Brew Co | The Judge DIPA | 8.5 | |
| Silver | The Loose Cannon Brewing Co ltd | Double IPA | 7.5 | |
| Bronze | Brecon Brewing | Mind Bleach | 10.0 |
Cask Champion Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds & Strong Brown Ales
| Sponsored by SPAsoft Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Bedlam Brewery Ltd | Porter | 5.0 | |
| Silver | Northern Monkey Brew Co | Underdog | 6.0 | |
| Bronze | Windswept Brewing Co | Wolf | 6.0 |
Cask Champion Speciality Light Beers
| Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Dancing Duck | Wot the Duck? Duck a l’orange | 6.4 | |
| Silver | Loch Lomond Brewery | Out of Range | 5.9 | |
| Bronze | Green Jack Brewing Co. Ltd. | Orange Wheat | 4.2 |
Cask Champion Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Sponsored by Pentair Food & Beverage Solutions | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Orkney Brewery | Dark Island Reserve | 10.0 | |
| Silver | Blue Monkey Brewery | Guerrilla Chocolate Amaretto | 4.9 | |
| Bronze | Mantle Brewery | Dark Heart | 5.2 |
Champion Small Pack Beers
| Sponsored by Croxsons | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Tring Brewery | Death or Glory Ale | 7.2 | |
| Silver | Gun Brewery | Imperial Whisky Stout | 7.4 | |
| Bronze | Wily Fox Brewery | Karma Citra | 4.3 |
Small Pack Champion Standard Mild Ales & Brown Ales
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Wolf Brewery | Sirius Dog Star | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Brampton Brewery | Impy Dark | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Inner Bay Brewery | Jasper | 3.9 |
Small Pack Champion Standard Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Norriq Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Wily Fox Brewery | Karma Citra | 4.3 | |
| Silver | Loch Lomond Brewery | Southern Summit | 4.0 | |
| Bronze | Ashover Brewery | Littlemoor Citra | 4.1 |
Small Pack Champion Premium Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Vigo Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | AM:PM | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Tring Brewery | Pale Four | 4.6 | |
| Bronze | Rooster’s Brewery Ltd | Twenty-Four Seven (24/7) | 4.7 |
Small Pack Champion Strong Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Russell Scanlan | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Windsor and Eton | Uprising’s Treason | 5.8 | |
| Silver | Maxim Brewery | Maximus | 6.0 | |
| Bronze | Loch Lomond Brewery | Bravehop Amber | 6.0 |
Small Pack Champion Premium Strong Beers
| Sponsored by Beatson Clark Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Tring Brewery | Death or Glory Ale | 7.2 | |
| Silver | Knops Beer Company | Black Cork | 6.5 | |
| Bronze | Geipel Brewing | Zoiglator Bock | 6.7 |
Small Pack Champion Standard Lager & Pilsners
| Sponsored by Vale Labels Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Stewart Brewing | Franz | 4.0 | |
| Silver | Charnwood Brewery | Liska | 4.0 | |
| Bronze | The Norfolk Brewhouse | DewHopper lager | 4.0 |
Small Pack Champion Premium Lager & Pilsners
| Sponsored by Saxon Packaging | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Calvors Brewery | Premium Pilsner | 5.0 | |
| Silver | Harviestoun | Schiehallion | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Whitstable Brewery Co Ltd | Whitstable Pilsner | 4.9 |
Small Pack Champion Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds & Strong Brown Ales
| Sponsored by Zoedale plc | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Black Sheep Brewery | Glug M’Glug | 6.2 | |
| Silver | Loch Lomond Brewery | SilkieStout | 5.0 | |
| Bronze | Ashover Brewery | Milk Stout | 6.0 |
Small Pack Champion Speciality Light Beers
| Sponsored by Anton Paar Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Flack Manor Brewery Ltd | Romsey Gold | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Salopian Brewery | lemon dream | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Lymestone Brewery | Cherry Stone | 5.2 |
Small Pack Champion Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Sponsored by Cask Brewing Systems Inc. | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Gun Brewery | Imperial Whisky Stout | 7.4 | |
| Silver | Windswept Brewing co | Bear | 10.5 | |
| Bronze | Purple Moose Brewery Ltd | Chocolate Moose | 4.5 |
Champion Keg Beers
| Sponsored by Kegstar | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | North Brewing | Transmission | 6.9 | |
| Silver | Neckstamper Brewing | Elbow Crooker Session IPA | 4.0 | |
| Bronze | Orkney Brewery | Dragonhead | 4.0 |
Keg Champion Standard Mild Ales & Brown Ales
| Keg Logistics UK Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Orkney Brewery | Dragonhead | 4.0 | |
| Silver | ||||
| Bronze |
Keg Champion Standard Bitters & Pale Ales
| Premier Systems Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Neckstamper Brewing | Elbow Crooker Session IPA | 4.0 | |
| Silver | Brass Castle Brewery | Misfit | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Bewdley Brewery | Worcestershire Way | 3.6 |
Keg Champion Premium Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Ilkley Brewery | Alpha Beta | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Gloucester Brewery | Session IPA | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Harviestoun Brewery | Broken Dial | 4.5 |
Keg Champion Strong Bitters & Pale Ales
| Sponsored by Muntons Plc | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Gloucester Brewery | American Pale Ale | 6.4 | |
| Silver | Arundel Brewery Ltd | Uptown New England IPA | 6.2 | |
| Bronze | Quantock Brewery | Titanium | 5.1 |
Keg Champion Premium Strong Beers
| Sponsored by Brewers Select Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | North Brewing | Transmission | 6.9 | |
| Silver | Grain Brewery | Lignum Vitae | 6.5 | |
| Bronze | Sambrooks Brewery | Russian Imperial Stour | 10.4 |
Keg Champion Standard Lager & Pilsners
| Sponsored by Kegstar | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Geipel Brewing | Aloha from Bala | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Adnams | Dry Hopped lager | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Whitstable Brewery Co Ltd | Kentish Lager | 4.1 |
Keg Champion Premium Lager & Pilsners
| Sponsored by Festival Glass Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Otter Brewery | Tarka | 4.8 | |
| Silver | Knops Beer Company | Cold Fury | 5.2 | |
| Bronze | Hogs Back Brewery | Hogstar | 4.5 |
Keg Champion Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds & Strong Brown Ales
| Sponsored by Schafer Container Systems | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Greyhound Brewery | Rainbow Eyes | 5.2 | |
| Silver | Grain Brewery | Slate | 6.0 | |
| Bronze | Cheddar Ales Ltd | Velvet Bottom | 4.7 |
Keg Champion Speciality Light Beers
| Sponsored by Brewfitt Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Windsor and Eton Brewery | Uprising’s White Riot | 5.3 | |
| Silver | Merchant City Brewing | American Pale Ale | 4.7 | |
| Bronze | Barngates Brewery | Weiss | 4.8 |
Keg Champion Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Sponsored by Rastal GmbH & Co KG | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | RedWillow | Restless | 8.5 | |
| Silver | Brentwood Brewing Company, Elephant School | Mallowphant | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Purity Brewing Company | Saddle Black | 5.8 |
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