Hophurst Brewery has taken home the overall champion cask beer award at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North West Independent Beer Awards 2021.
Stuart Hurst, of Hophurst Brewery, accepts his award
Their gold-winning beer, Love is Noise, was brewed to celebrate the brewery’s seventh anniversary this month and is the first time the brewery has produced a double IPA. The hugely aromatic and flavoursome beer comes in at a punchy 8% ABV.
The silver award winner was another American style beer, West Coast, by Blackedge Brewing, while Hawkshead Brewery’s Windermere Pale took bronze.
The awards took place ahead of the Bolton Beer Festival, at the University of Bolton Stadium, which continues today and over the weekend.
Hophurst founder and head brewer, Stuart Hurst, said: “To win with our first ever double IPA is just amazing, especially as we came so close last time around when we won the silver with our Porter. This was a very special beer to celebrate our seventh birthday and we wanted something big, fruity and with great body.
“The beer is chock full of hops, and we use loads of Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra, Ekuanot, and a brand new ‘cryo pop’ hop, which we’ve used for the first time. I’m delighted it’s proved a hit.”
All the winners will now go on to SIBA’s national finals at the BeerX UK event in Liverpool, in March.
Neil Walker, chair of SIBA’s competitions committee, said: “There were some really excellent beers in this competition, and brewers should be very proud of taking home these hard-fought awards.
“The judges had a very tough job separating the pack, and I’d like to say a personal well done to all of the category winners and, of course, our overall gold winners, Hophurs. What a beer!”
The full list of winners
Overall Champion of the Cask Competition
Sponsored by Murphy & Son Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Hophurst Brewery Ltd | Love is Noise | 8 | |
| Silver | Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd | West Coast | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | Hawkshead Brewery | Windemere Pale | 3.5 |
Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Beartown Brewery | Skinful | 4.2 | |
| Silver | Big Bog Brewing Company Limited | Stog | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | Bank Top Brewery | Dark Mild | 4 |
Cask British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd | Oatmeal Chocolate Stout | 6.4 | |
| Silver | Brewsmith Beer | Oatmeal Stout | 5.2 | |
| Bronze | Prospect Brewery Ltd | Pudding Shop Milk Stout | 4.6 |
Cask British Bitters (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd | West Coast | 4.1 | |
| Silver | Crankshaft Brewery Ltd | Sherpa | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Hophurst Brewery Ltd | Cosmati | 4.2 |
Cask Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
Sponsored by Charles Faram & Co Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd | Kiwi | 5 | |
| Silver | Marble Beers Ltd | Extra Special Marble | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | Bank Top Brewery | Pavilion Pale Ale | 4.5 |
Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
Sponsored by Premier Systems Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Hawkshead Brewery | Windemere Pale | 3.5 | |
| Silver | Big Bog Brewing Company Limited | Hinkypunk | 4.1 | |
| Bronze | Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd | USAle | 4 |
Cask Premium PAs (4.4 to 5.4%)
Sponsored by Napthens LLP | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Weetwood Ales | Jester | 4.8 | |
| Silver | Marble Beers Ltd | Berimbolo | 4.5 | |
| Bronze | Liverpool Brewing Co | Big Juicy | 4.5 |
Cask IPA (5.5 to 6.4%)
Sponsored by Beer Box Shop | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Liverpool Brewing Co | IPA | 5.7 | |
| Silver | Hophurst Brewery Ltd | Arlo | 5.5 | |
| Bronze | Bollington Brewing Co. | Eastern Nights | 5.6 |
Cask Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Beartown Brewery | Kahuna | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Liverpool Brewing Co | Tropical | 4.3 | |
| Bronze | Hophurst Brewery Ltd | Milkshake IPA | 4.5 |
Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Hophurst Brewery Ltd | Irish Cream Porteresque | 5.5 | |
| Silver | Marble Beers Ltd | Uppe Hela Natten | 5.1 | |
| Bronze | Chapter Brewing | Dead Man’s Fist | 5.5 |
Cask Strong Beers 6.5% and over
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Hophurst Brewery Ltd | Love is Noise | 8 | |
| Silver | Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd | DIPA | 8 | |
| Bronze | Bank Top Brewery | Herkules White Walker | 6.5 |
