Tavistock’s Stannary Brewery is celebrating being named champion at a major regional beer festival with one of its craft beers.

MaltingsFest in Newton Abbot, saw hundreds head to the marquees in Osborne Park at the weekend to sample some of the choicest brews at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) South West event.

Stannary Brewing Company’s ‘Winnemucca’, a hazy double dry hopped New England Pale Ale, was named the best cask beer and was presented with the Overall Champion South West Independent Beer Award.

Chris John, co-founder and brewer at Stannary Brewing Company, was on hand to accept the award.

‘I’m in absolute shock,’’ he said. “To have a hazy, 5.4% cask beer that is absolutely dry-hopped to hell come through as best in competition is a massive surprise and we’re well happy. 

‘We put a lot of time into getting this beer right, giving it a great mouth-feel and flavour, and obviously making sure those hops really come through, it’s incredible to win and we’re really proud of this beer.”

In the separate keg beer competition it was Bristol-based Hop Union Brewery’s ‘Two Steppin’ India Pale Lager that took overall gold.

Neil Walker, of SIBA, who presented the prize, said: “It was a selection of genuinely superb beers which took the overall golds and were named category winners. Huge congratulations to all of today’s winning brewers, and in particular Stannary and Hop Union who were named best-of-the-best on our final table champions judging.”

The awards were judged by beer sommeliers, master brewers and other expert beer judges.