Two of Wales’ most prominent breweries have taken home the two overall champion honours — in keg and cask — at the country’s Indie Beer Awards.
Left to right: Ollie King, from Tiny Rebel, Sara Webber, from Brains Brewery, and Neil Walker, of the Indie Beer Awards
Brains Brewery were named champions in the cask beer awards with their famous Reverend James Best Bitter.
Tiny Rebel took home the gold and silver in the keg beer competition with Captain Insano, an American-style double IPA, and Joga Bonita, a speciality flavoured beer.
The judging of the awards took place at Indie Beer Fest Wales, in Swansea, which continues this weekend.
“This year’s winners perfectly showcase why the independent brewing scene in Wales is so exciting right now,” said Neil Walker of the Indie Beer Awards. “Where you can get international and specialist styles brewed to world-class standards, but where Welsh brewing heritage and traditional beer styles are also being championed.
“Tiny Rebel and Brains are two sides of the same coin, both brewing superb beers that are proving a hit with beer drinkers and award judges alike, but each doing it in their own unique way. Huge congratulations to all of this year’s winners in what was a hugely impressive judging. Attendees to Indie Beer Fest Wales this weekend are in for a treat!”
Sara Webber, from Brains Brewery, said: “We are absolutely over the moon — to win with Reverend James is absolutely fantastic. It’s been going since the 1990s and is a fantastic, flavoursome, fruity beer which we’re really proud of.”
Ollie King, from Tiny Rebel, added: “We’re just so surprised. This is our first time back in beer competitions for a long time and our first time in the Indie Beer Awards, and yeah to win is just so cool. It’s a special we’ve produced for Christmas this year and it’s a rebrew of a really popular old recipe. We’re going to have to rebrew it for BeerX now!”
Winners go on to the national finals which take place at BeerX in Liverpool early next year.
