Yorkshire coast brewery wins international beer awards

The team at a Yorkshire Wolds brewery Wold Top is celebrating after winning two awards at the International Beer Challenge (IBC) 2022, which attracted entries from 31 countries.

Wold Top's Marmalade Porter won a silver award in the Best Stout/Porter category and Intuition won a bronze award in the Best No/Low Alcohol Beer category in the global competition, that was judged by 70 industry experts.

Wold Top's Director and Head Brewer, Alex Balchin (pictured with the winning beers), said: "Marmalade Porter is an established and best- selling beer in the Wold Top range, whereas Intuition was a year in development and marked our first foray into the low-alcohol market. We're over the moon that both beers have won these accolades in an international competition that is judged by experienced industry experts ranging from retailers, importers, publicans and brewers to writers and flavour analysts." Intuition also won a silver award in the low and no alcohol category at the World Beer Awards 2021.

For more information visit www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk

Hogs Back Brewery calls for customers to support their local

Surrey-based Hogs Back Brewery supported pubs in offering broad customer appeal during January with POS support for its flagship ale Tongham TEA, the launch of Little Swine Low Alcohol 2.8% ABV beer on draught and a new Little Swine 0.5% bottled beer.

POS on Tongham TEA pump clips invited customers to "Support Your Local, Go TEA Total" by enjoying a pint of their favourite ale, repeating the successful, and slightly tongue-in-cheek, January campaign from previous years.

Meanwhile, those consumers looking for low and no alcohol beers in January had the choice of Little Swine 2.8% on draught, or in 330ml and 500ml bottles, while Little Swine 0.5% launched in 330ml and was available in 500ml bottles from the end of January, with POS support.

Hogs Back Brewery managing director

Rupert Thompson said: "We knew that January was going to be a challenge for pubs, with worries about the high cost-ofliving combining with the usual new year's resolutions to cut back.

"So, we helped them appeal both to customers wanting to beat the January blues with a flavourful pint of Tongham TEA, and to the increasing number of consumers with a thirst for beers with full taste but lower strength.

"Currently, pubs mainly offer low and no alcohol versions of global beer brands, and we believe many consumers will welcome the option to support local brewers producing great-tasting no and low alcohol beers.”

Both the 0.5% and 2.8% beers are gluten free, which is clearly communicated on labels alongside the beers' calorie content. Find out more at www.hogsback.co.uk

Hogs Back celebrates design award for Tongham TEA

Hogs Back Brewery has been given an extra 30th birthday present with the news that its flagship ale Tongham TEA has won a prestigious drinks industry design award. The distinctive new pack design and branding for Tongham TEA, launched last year, won the silver medal for best Design and Packaging in the International Beer Challenge (IBC), which recognises global beer excellence.

Docks Beers brews with Size?

For Adidas trainer launch

Grimsby brewery Docks Beers has created a trio of beers in collaboration with Size?, the UK’s leading trainer retailer. The three beers were brewed to celebrate the launch of the Adidas Originals Seaside Series of trainers, featuring three limited edition shoes inspired by iconic coastal places; Brighton, Blackpool and Cleethorpes. The shoes are exclusively available to the Size? chain of UK stores.

The beers were launched alongside the trainers in December at a special gig at Docks Academy, the music venue above Docks Beers, with performances from Reverend & The Makers, DJ Finn Tech, Grimsby band Indigo Bay and hosting by comedian Lloyd Griffith.

Shaz Shadan, Director Docks Beers, said: “Of course, we leapt at the opportunity to work with Size? on an Adidas trainer launch like this. The three beers we brewed are ‘BN1’ a Sea Buckthorn IPA for Brighton, ‘FY1’ a Session Pale Ale for Blackpool and ‘DN35’ a Lemon Lager for Cleethorpes. These can be purchased as a box set which comes with a matching glass and postcards which feature the can artwork. The can designs, by Source 4, feature iconic imagery from each town. For Cleethorpes it’s seagulls stealing chips in front of the famous Ferris Wheel on the North Prom. All of these trainers will become collectibles and we hope the beer cans will too.”

Find out more at www.docksbeers.com

Glad tidings for Driftwood Spars

Coastal brewery Driftwood Spars scooped a haul of regional awards at the end of 2022, bringing early festive cheer to one corner of the Cornish coast.

The Driftwood Spars Brewery at Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes, won two Golds and a Silver at the SIBA South West Regional Awards; one of the winning beers, Codename Robin, will now progress to the national finals set to be held at BeerX in Liverpool this March.

Codename Robin, an Imperial Gingerbread Stout, won Gold in the Speciality and Flavoured Beer category. Presented in a 750ml sharing bottle, this seasonal ale has become a Christmastime tradition for small-batch beer aficionados.

Also winning Gold at the regional level – this time in the Amber, Brown & Red Ale category - was Alfie’s Revenge, a strong, rich ale with a beautiful deep polished red colour.

Named after a legendary stuffed squirrel which was mischievously liberated from the bar at The Driftwood Spars brewpub many years ago, and has been MIA ever since, Alfie’s has a big malt flavour, with prominent chocolate and biscuit notes.

Finally, Midnight Skinny Dipper from the Cove canned range of contemporary beers was awarded a Silver in the competitive Stouts & Porters category.

Mike Mason, Head Brewer at The Driftwood Spars Brewery, said: “These awards are hotly contested between SIBA brewery members, so this is brilliant recognition from our peers in the industry. We’re especially excited that Codename Robin, an experimental beer first brewed for Christmas 2020, will go through to the national finals. It really hit the mark and has built a cult following in subsequent years.”

Find out more at www.driftwoodspars.co.uk