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Skinner's takes gold at SIBA South West festival

April 26, 2008: Cornish breweries enjoyed a good day at the office at the Society of Independent Brewers' (SIBA) South West Beer Festival, with perennial favourite Skinner's Cornish Knocker named champion beer.

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This was not the first time that the Styrian Goldings infused best bitter has made top spot in this competition. It was also champion back in 1998, when Skinner's was a one-year-old newcomer to the South West real ale market.

Knocker took top spot after winning gold in best bitters category, for 4.1 to 4.5% ABV ales. Moor JJJ (9%) was runner-up champion, having won gold in the strong ales (over 5.6%) category. The brewery also took silver in the milds (up to 4%) section with its 3.8% Milly's Mild.

Keltek 4K Mild (3.8%), brewed at Redruth, was the winner in the milds (up to 4%) category, while Sharp's Atlantic IPA (4.8%), from Rock, on the North Cornwall coast, took top spot in the premium bitters (4.6 to 4.9%).

Although not claiming any golds, St Austell had a good day overall, taking silver in milds (up to 4%) and best bitters (4.1 to 4.5%), for, respectively, Black Prince (4%) and Proper Job IPA (4.5%), the latter also winning bronze in the bottled beer category.

One of Cornwall's newest breweries, Coastal, based at Redruth, took silver in the category for strong ales (over 5.6%) with its Golden Sands brew, while there was silver, too, for the Lizard-based Organic Brewhouse, Charlie's Pride Lager (5.3%) taking runner-up spot in the speciality ales section.

Among the non-Cornish brewers enjoying good success was O'Hanlon's, based at Whimple, just outside Exeter, which achieved gold in the speciality beers section with the appropriately-named Goldblade (4%), silver in strong bitters (5 to 5.5%) with Royal Oak (5%) and bronze in porters, strong milds, old ales and stouts with Dry Stout (4.2%).

The festival continues until this evening at Tucker's Maltings, Newton Abbot, Devon.

Full results

Overall champion: Skinner's Cornish Knock (4.5%); runner-up, Moor JJJ (9%).

Milds (up to 4%): 1, Keltek 4K Mild (3.8%); 2, St Austell Black Prince (4%); Moor Milly's Mild (3.8%).

Bitters and pale ales (up to 4%): 1, Yeovil Ales Stargazer (4%); 2, Bays Bays Best 3.7%); 3, Teignworthy Reel Ale (4%).

Best bitters (4.1 to 4.5%): 1, Skinner's Cornish Knocker (4.5%); 2, St Austell Proper Job IPA (4.5%); 3, Cheddar Ales Potholer (4.3%).

Premium bitters (4.6 to 4.9%): 1, Sharp's Atlantic IPA (4.8%); 2, Keystone Cheer Up (4.6%); 3, Bays Bays Breaker (4.7).

Strong bitters (5 to 5.5%): 1, Stonehenge Danish Dynamite (5%); 2, O'Hanlon's Royal Oak (5%); 3, Moles Molecatcher (5%).

Strong ales (over 5.6%): 1, Moor JJJ (9%); 2, Coastal Golden Sands (5.8%); 3, Otter Head (5.8%).

Porters, strong milds, old ales and stouts: 1, Jollyboat Contraband (5.8%); 2, Cheddar Ales Totty Pot Porter (4.5%); 3, O'Hanlon's Dry Stout (4.2%).

Speciality beers: 1, O'Hanlon's Gold Blade (4%); 2, Organic Charlie's Pride Lager (5.3%); 3, Hop Back Spring Zing (4.2%)

Bottled beers: 1, Cheddar Ales Totty Pot Porter (4.5%); 2, Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout (4.5%); 3, St Austell Proper Job IPA (4.5%).