Fifteen beers from the UK have been declared as among the best in the world in the annual International Beer Challenge.
Kent’s Chapel Down vineyard won a gold medal for its Curious Brew premium lager. It uses East Anglian malt, saaz and cascade hops and then re-ferments the lager using the same champagne yeast that goes into its award-winning sparkling wines.
Other English beers to receive gold medals included Harveys Imperial Extra Double Stout, Harveys Old Ale, Harveys Prince of Denmark, Manns Brown Ale from Marston’s, Oakham Ales’ Bishops Farewell and Citra, Sharp’s Quadrupel Ale 2011, Shepherd Neame Late Red and St Austell Proper Black.
Gold-winning Scottish beers were the limited-edition Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask and Fyne Ales’ Hurricane Jack and Jarl.
France won one gold medal, for Brasserie des Sources Bellerose, available from importer James Clay, while the only Belgian beer in the gold winners’ list was Floris Kriek. Germany’s only gold winner was Weihenstephaner Vitus while Greece took a gold medal with Septem Sunday’s Honey Golden Dew.
Italy scored well with gold medals for Collesi Imper Ale Chiara, Doppio Malto Mahogany IPA, Birra Moretti Doppio Malto, Trieste Theresianer Unfiltered Wit and Valscura PatriarcAle.
Boston’s Samuel Adams won five gold medals – the only ones from the US – for A Dark Night In Munich, Double Bock, Third Voyage, Triple Bock and Utopias 2011. New Zealand won a gold with McCashin Family Stoke Gold.
A full list of International Beer Challenge winners will be published at www.internationalbeerchallenge.com.
