An independent brewery is celebrating after scooping four top accolades at a national awards ceremony.
Grain Brewery won gold for its smoked porter, Slate, and a second gold for its 6.5 per cent India pale ale, Lignum Vitae, at the Society of Independent Brewers’ BeerX event in Liverpool on Thursday.
The business, which operates from South Farm in Alburgh, also took home a silver for its Blackwood stout, while Slate went on to claim a silver in the Champion of the Keg Beer category.
Owner Phil Halls said the quartet of awards represented a huge achievement for the growing brewery.
“It was brilliant to win so many awards at BeerX,” he said.
“Last year, our beers all won gold awards in the East of England regional finals, but never in a million years did we think that we would go on to compete at a national level.
“Now we have come away with a bag full of awards – I am absolutely thrilled.”
As part of the competition process, the brewery had to send in samples of its beers, with expert judges blind tasting the finalists in each category.
“Those people really know what they are talking about so it was a great honour to receive awards like these from people with such pedigree,” said Mr Halls.
The businessman thanked people for supporting the enterprise, which is refusing to rest on its laurels.
“We have some ambitious plans ahead of us this year, including growing our own barley on the farm so that we can have beer that is born and brewed in Alburgh,” he said.
