Fenland wins at St Ives

June 4, 2006: Fenland Smokestack Lightning (4.1%), the SIBA Eastern region's champion mild of 2005, and overall runner-up, was named 'punter's pint' winner at the Cornwall CAMRA St Ives Beer Festival today.

Ales of Scilly Natural Beauty (4.2%) was second, and joint third place went to Doghouse Brewery's Seadog IPA (4.6%) and Nethergate Old Growler (5%).

A combination of glorious weather and England playing football on local pub televisions meant the festival wasn't as busy as usual, but the visitors that did come gave the beer a good hammering and enjoyed some top-quality brews from within Cornwall and around the UK.

Among more than 50 ales were new Cornish brews from the likes of Skinner's, with their 4.3% per cent World Cup beer Pint of Two Halves, and St Austell's Two Castles (4%), which is a special recipe to tie in with the current Fal River Festival.

Also represented from the county were Wooden Hand, of Grampound Road, Blue Anchor, from Helston, Launceston-based Ring o' Bells, the Organic Brewery, on The Lizard, and relative newcomers Lizard Ales, based at St Keverne, whose 3.6% session beer Helford River is proving very popular at the moment.