Brass Castle Brewery from Malton, took one of just three Supreme Champion titles at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) National Beer Competition 2015. Eight other brewers from the North East won awards at SIBA’s BeerX celebration of British beer in Sheffield.

The winners were: • Brass Castle Brewery, Malton: Supreme Champion, National Cask Beer Competition for Burnout (Porters, Stouts, Old Ales and Strong Milds) and Gold award for Sunshine (Bottled Bitters 5% and over ) • Mordue Brewery, North Shields: Gold award, Killswitch 51 (Bottled Beer) and Bronze award for Oatmeal Stout (Dark Ales, Stouts & Porters) • Wylam Brewery, Heddon, Northumberland: Gold award for Haxan (Speciality Beers in Keg) • Wold Top Brewery, Driffield: Silver award for Humber Light (Pale and Golden Lagers) • Acorn Brewery, Barnsley: Ilkley Brewery: Silver award, Barnsley Bitter (Standard Bitters) • Ilkley Brewery: Gold award, Ruby Jane (Standard Mild Ales) and Silver award for The Mayan (Strong Bitters & IPAs) • Allendale Brewery, Hexham, Northumberland: Bronze Award, APA (Strong Bitters) and Silver award for Pennine Pale (Bottled Bitters up to and including 4.9%) • Atom Brewing Co, Hull: Bronze award, Sea of Tranquility (Speciality Beers in Keg) • The Hop Studio, York: Bronze award for Avenoir (Dark Ales, Stouts and Porters) The brewers from the region – which includes Yorkshire, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland - were competing against beers from all over the UK, from Scotland to the South West. Only 60 beers received a national award, from around 2,000 that entered initial regional heats of the SIBA competition. It is estimated that there are 8,000 regular beers brewed in Britain, and 10,000 more seasonal or one-off brews.

The finalist beers were judged by a panel of industry experts and beer enthusiasts in Sheffield and the winners were announced by SIBA chairman Guy Sheppard and BBC Radio food and drink broadcaster Nigel Barden.

Sheppard said: “With close to 800 brewers now members of SIBA, competition for our awards is fierce and all our winners can be very proud of their achievement. We congratulate them on brewing beers that have been judged as the best in the country and we hope they will use this success to market their beers to pubs and consumers in the future. I would like to wish them every success within the vibrant, innovative British brewing industry.” SIBA holds regional beer competitions in 10 regions during the year, with the winners from each heat going through to the national final in Sheffield. The beers from all contestants are made available to judges and then to thousands of beer drinkers who can enjoy them at the BeerX Festival of Beer in Sheffield on 20th and 21 March.