Copperhead Ales and Powderkeg Beer have taken home the top two awards at the Indie Beer Awards South West, held at the MaltingsFest beer festival in Newton Abbot.
Local MP Steve Darling (left) and Andy Slee, chief executive of SIBA (right) with award winners Jack Henderson, of Copperhead Ales, and John Magill, of Powderkeg
Copperhead Ales’ Black Flamingo, an imperial stout at 8.2% ABV, wowed the judges in the cask beer awards, with flavours of rich chocolate and black coffee. It’s described by the brewery as being “a proper kicker that’ll put hair on the back of your eyeballs. Our thorough brewing process means that, despite the strength of Black Flamingo, it’s still deliciously drinkable.”
In the keg beer awards, it was Powderkeg’s Paint the Town Red, a new American red ale, launched at Maltingsfest in support of Indie Beer Week, which took top prize.
“Wow, what a day!” said Powderkeg co-founder John Magill. “Eight awards and then overall keg champion to crown it all off. It’s a real achievement for the team; we’re all delighted.
“Many of our winning beers were special releases for Indie Beer Week, brewed because we really want to showcase the diversity, creativity, and quality of indie beer.
“It’s important to us to keep highlighting that the real innovation and the genuine quality is in British beer in the independent sector.”
“The MaltingsFest is easily one of the best beer festivals in the UK, with a truly outstanding range of beers in cask and keg from the South West’s best independent breweries,” said Andy Slee, chief executive of SIBA, who presented the awards.
“The quality of entries in the Indie Beer Awards this year was higher than ever, and I want to say a huge well done to all of this year’s winners, but in particular our overall champions, Copperhead and Powderkeg — the very best of the best in the South West.”
The full list of winners is here. Maltingsfest continues today and tomorrow.
