Navigation & Thornbridge Brewery named best brewers in Midlands at Independent Beer Awards
Navigation Brewery in Nottingham and Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell have taken home the two top spots at the SIBA Midlands Independent Beer Awards, taking home overall Gold in the cask and small pack competitions respectively.
The prestigious awards, run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), held at Nottingham Rugby Club prior to their beer festival, are judged by brewers and beer experts and seen very much as the ‘brewers choice’ awards in the industry.
Navigation Brewery’s ‘Saviour’ took home the overall Gold in the cask competition and Thornbridge brewery’s ‘Melba’ was named overall bottle and can winner.
Commenting on the competition was SIBA Chief Executive Mike Benner, who presented the awards,
“I’d like to congratulate all of this year’s winners and in particular Navigation and Thornbridge, who beat stiff competition to be named the best brewers in the Midlands. These breweries are at the top of their game and should be very proud of their achievement in winning these prestigious awards.”
Collecting the award for Navigation Brewery was Head Brewer Dominic Flynn,
“It says a lot about the British beer community when beers of this style are getting more recognition. People’s tastes are changing. A few year’s ago a grapefruity American IPA people weren’t ready for, but it’s great people are enjoying these awesome beers now. We took an American style and brewed it for the British market – with a cask serve and fuller mouthfeel – and it’s a beer that has really struck a chord with drinkers.”
Navigation Brewery’s beer ‘Blonde’ also took home the overall Silver in the cask competition, with Titanic Brewery’s Plum Porter taking the Bronze.
Collecting the award for Thornbridge brewery, whose ‘Melba’ peach IPA was named the top bottled or canned beer, was Marvyn White who said,
“This means a lot, it brings out the hard work everyone at the brewery does to make our beers the absolute best they can be. It’s a beer we’re very proud of as it is just a mouthful of flavour, it’s packed full of peach flavour but it still drinkable and the hop flavour comes through too – it’s a really interesting beer.”
The competition took place immediately before the opening of the SIBA Midlands Beer Festival 2018, taking place at Nottingham Rugby Club, which continues today and saturday from 12 noon until 11pm. For more information visit www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk
Date : 28th June 2018
Overall Champion of the Cask Competition
| Sponsored by SPASoft Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Navigation Brewery | Saviour | 5.5 | |
| Silver | Navigation Brewery | Blonde | 5.0 | |
| Bronze | Titanic Brewery | Plum Porter | 4.9 |
Cask
Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Sponsored by
Simpson Malt |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Shiny Brewery | Wrench | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Fownes Brewing Company | Korvak’s Saga: Chapter II – Burden | 4.4 | |
| Bronze | The Grainstore Brewery | Rutland Panther | 3.4 |
Cask British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Weal Ales Brewery | Centwealial Milk Stout | 4.9 | |
| Silver | The Grainstore Brewery | Rutland Beast | 5.3 | |
| Bronze | Froth Blowers Brewing Co. | Riverside Stout | 4.8 |
Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)
| Sponsored by
Rastal GmbH & Co. KG |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Purity Brewing Company | Mad Goose | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Great Oakley Brewery | Egret | 3.8 | |
| Bronze | The Chiltern Brewery | Beechwood Bitter | 4.3 |
Cask British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by
Rankin Brother & Sons |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Great Oakley Brewery | Gobble | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Castle Rock Brewery | Elsie Mo | 4.7 | |
| Bronze | Titanic Brewery | Captain Smiths | 5.2 |
Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Great Oakley Brewery | Tiffield Thunderbolt | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Purity Brewing Company | Bunny Hop | 3.5 | |
| Bronze | Dancing Duck Brewery | Ay Up | 3.9 |
Cask Premium PAs (4.4% to 5.4%)
| Sponsored by
Murphy & Son Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | Crackendale | 5.2 | |
| Silver | Charnwood Brewery | American Pale Ale | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | The Backyard Brewhouse Ltd | Gold | 4.5 |
Cask IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by
Charles Faram & Co. Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Navigation Brewery | Saviour | 5.5 | |
| Silver | Derby Brewing Company | You Had Me At IPA | 6.0 | |
| Bronze | Loddon Brewery | Forbury Lion IPA | 5.5 |
Cask Speciality Light Beers
| Sponsored by
Brewology |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Navigation Brewery | Blonde | 5.0 | |
| Silver | Milestone Brewery | Raspberry wheat beer | 5.6 | |
| Bronze | Derventio Brewery | Cleopatra | 5.0 |
Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Titanic Brewery | Plum Porter | 4.9 | |
| Silver | Old Sawley Brewing Company | Plummeth The Hour | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Milestone Brewery | Chocoholic | 4.8 |
Cask Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)
| Sponsored byBulk Storage & Process Systems Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | The Grainstore Brewery | Nip | 7.3 | |
| Silver | Birmingham Brewing Company | Strong Brummie | 7.2 | |
| Bronze | Fownes Brewing Company | Hand of Doom | 8.2 |
Overall Champion of the Bottle/Can Competition
| Sponsored by
NFU Mutual |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | Melba | 5.2 | |
| Silver | Thornbridge Brewery | Coco Cocoa | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | The Chiltern Brewery | Bodger’s Barley Wine | 8.5 |
Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Great Oakley Brewery | Welland Valley Mild | 3.6 | |
| Silver | Shiny Brewery | Wrench | 4.4 | |
| Bronze | Brampton Brewery | Impy Dark | 4.3 |
Bottle/Can British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Loddon Brewery | Hocus Pocus | 5.0 | |
| Silver | Derby Brewing Company | Midnight Raven | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | Brampton Brewery | Brampton Mild | 4.9 |
Bottle/Can British Bitter (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Loddon Brewery | Night Of The Stag | 4.4 | |
| Silver | The Backyard Brewhouse Ltd | blonde | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | The Chiltern Brewery | Gold | 3.8 |
Bottle/Can British Premium Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by
Saxon Packaging |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Great Oakley Brewery | Gobble | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Navigation Brewery | Rebel | 4.7 | |
| Bronze | Rebellion Beer Company | Red | 4.5 |
Bottle/Can Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
| Sponsored by
Simpson Malt |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Gun Dog Ales | Jack’s Spaniels | 3.8 | |
| Silver | Shiny Brewery | Fallout | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Slater’s Ales | Top Totty | 4.0 |
Bottle/Can Premium PA (4.4% to 5.4%)
| Sponsored by
Beatson Clark Ltd |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Shiny Brewery | Disco Balls | 5.3 | |
| Silver | Great Oakley Brewery | Tailshaker | 5.0 | |
| Bronze | Weal Ales Brewery | Weller Weal | 4.6 |
Bottle/Can IPA (5.5% to 6.4%)
| Sponsored by
Beer Box Shop |
Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Dhillons Brewery | Red IPA | 6.2 | |
| Silver | Navigation Brewery | Saviour | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | Brampton Brewery | Speciale | 5.8 |
Bottle/Can Imperial IPA (6.5% and over)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | The Loose Cannon Brewing Company Ltd | Double IPA | 7.5 | ||
Bottle/Can Session Lager & Pilsner (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | Lukas | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Birmingham Brewing Company | Stirchley Lager | 4.4 | |
| Bronze | Charnwood Brewery | Liska | 4.0 |
Bottle/Can Premium Lager & Pilsner (4.5% to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Purity Brewing Company | Lawless Lager | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Freedom Brewery | Freedom Organic Helles Lager | 4.8 | |
| Bronze | The Loose Cannon Brewing Company Ltd | Oxford PILS | 5.0 |
Bottle/Can Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | Melba | 5.2 | |
| Silver | Milestone Brewery | Raspberry Wheat Beer | 5.6 | |
| Bronze | Navigation Brewery | Font Craftworks GPA – Grapefruit Pale Ale | 4.0 |
Bottle/Can Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | Coco Cocoa | 5.5 | ||
Bottle/Can Sours/Spontaneous
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | Thornbridge Brewery | Tart | 6.0 | ||
Bottle/Can Strong Beers (6.5% and Over)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | |||
| Gold | The Chiltern Brewery | Bodger’s Barley Wine | 8.5 | ||
