Arkell’s brew team are celebrating a trio of awards, including a gong for Haze, the brewery’s first vegan and gluten-free beer.
From left to right, Arkell’s brewers Jack Bridgman, Kevin McDonald, and Bob Mercer
Haze, a pale ale, and Malthouse Craft Lager were awarded gold and bronze respectively at the SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards. Kingsdown Ale, a bottled beer, received gold in the Taste of the West Awards.
Haze is described as a 4% ABV pale ale with a tropical fruit nose and a tropical fruit and mango flavour.
“It couldn’t be better feedback on our brand-new beer, straight in with a gold for its first ever award,” said head brewer Alex Arkell.
“We are equally delighted that our Malthouse Craft Lager has been recognised with bronze in the keg session lager category. It’s a fantastic award for our newly rebranded Malthouse, and re-confirms that the lager is as good as we think it is!”
Malthouse is a 4.2% ABV refreshing, characterful English lager, brewed using local barley. Alex said: “Unlike many lagers, we like to slow-ferment Malthouse for up to a month, creating a softer, cleaner flavour, with a satisfying fullness in the mouth. After this, rather than pasteurising and cooking the aromas, we gently triple-micro-filter the beer to lock in the thirst-quenching flavour.”
Kingsdown Ale, which took Taste of the West gold, is a deep, fruit-forward strong bitter (4.8% ABV) chestnut coloured, with a smooth aftertaste.
Alex said: “It’s fantastic to see the hard work of the brew team recognised again. With a combined length of service in the team of over 100 years, they always aim to craft exceptional beers that reflect our heritage and unwavering commitment to quality, while exploring innovative ways to keep up with changing trends.
“This trio of awards celebrates the culmination of the hard work, passion, and dedication of Arkell’s brew team. Cheers to them.”
