Shropshire breweries have cause to raise a glass at awards

Salopian Brewery was among the big winners, named the best of the best in the cask beer competition and taking the Overall Champion Gold Award.

The Brewery’s 4.7% ‘Port in a Storm’ wowed judges in the British Dark Beers category before going on to beat the other cask category winners in the final round judging.

A change in the SIBA Regional boundaries means Wales will go it alone as a standalone region in next years awards, with the ‘West’ brewers in England now moving into SIBA’s Midlands region, making these that last ‘SIBA Wales & West’ Awards.

Salopian Founder Wilf Nelson, said: “We are really, really chuffed. It’s our last year in Wales and West and we have always loved being a part of the region. We are seen as the most active region of SIBA and will miss it. Whilst I’m looking forward to the Midlands, I am really proud to have won on our last appearance in the Wales & West competition.”

Managing director Trevor Hourican added: "It's really nice and it's great for the team that they get recognition for what they have done. That's the most important thing for us, seeing how hard they have worked that their efforts are recognised by their peers."

There were plenty of other highlights. The Stonehouse Brewery won a gold award in the Best Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%) section for its Station Bitter. Bewdley Brewery picked up a silver in that section with Salopian and Ludlow breweries picking up bronzes.

Shane Parr, of Stonehouse Brewery, added: "We are thrilled and it's great to get recognition, particularly for Station Bitter which has been our flagship.

"We got six awards in total and will use that to push our brand and remind everyone that we make great beers and hopefully it will encourage people to drink it."

Ludlow Brewery collected a gold for its Silent Knight in the Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer section.

Salopian brewery won a silver in the Cask British Best Bitter (4.5 to 6.4%) section for Golden Thread.

In the Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%) section there were awards for Bewdley and Salopian (silver) and Ludlow (bronze).

In the Cask Pale Ales (4.4 to 5.5%) category, Stonehouse won bronze for Nickel Wound and Ludlow Brewery also won bronze for Stairway.

Other success stories included Stonehouse winning gold in the Keg Session Lager (up to 4.4%) category for Shark Beach, which also secured gold in the Bottle & Can Session Lager (up to 4.4%) section.

Bewdley won the Keg Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%) section with Sabrina while Ludlow Brewery won a gold in the Bottle & Can Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up to 6.4%) section with Red Dawn.

In the Keg Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up to 6.4%), Hobsons Brewery took gold for The Champion and also won the Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer section for Plum Porter.

Salopian Brewery's Darwin's Origin won gold in the Bottle & Can British Ales (up to 6.4%) category while Sabotage took gold in the Bottle & Can Pale Ale (4.5% – 5.5%) section.

Clun Brewery won a silver in the Bottle & Can IPA (5.6% to 7.4%) section.

SIBA’s National Competitions Committee Chair Anneli Baxter, and Director in the Midlands region, praised the quality of this year’s winners.

Anneli said: “The SIBA Wales & West Independent Beer Awards are not only our biggest judging of this awards season – with three packed cask, keg and bottle & can competitions taking place together – but they are the last year before Wales separates into its own new SIBA region.

"So huge congratulations to all of this year’s brewers who have taken home Gold in these historic awards. Good luck to those who become part of the Wales region next year, and welcome to the Midlands region to the rest!”

For the full list of winners, visit siba.co.uk