Cairngorm Brewery has taken home the overall champion cask beer award at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Scotland Independent Beer Awards 2021.
SIBA Scotland director Christie Slater accepts the gold award on behalf of Cairngorn Brewery. Photograph: SIBA
This year the competition was hosted at the Bolton Beer Festival, in a joint judging event with the SIBA North West Region.
Cairngorm’s aptly named Black Gold took the top spot. It is described as a “traditional Scottish stout with just the right amount of sweetness”. It will now go on to fight it out against rivals from the rest of the UK in next year’s national finals.
The overall silver award winner was first-time entrant Ardgour Ales with Gobhar Reamhar, while bronze went to Five Kingdoms Brewery’s Wee McAsh Bitter.
Neil Walker, chair of SIBA’s competitions committee, said: “It was great to see so many excellent Scottish beers represented in these hard-fought awards, and a huge congratulations goes to all of the winners, but in particular this year’s overall gold, Cairngorm. A wonderful beer and a very deserving champion!”
All the winners will now go on to SIBA’s national finals at the BeerX UK event in Liverpool, in March.
Bolton Beer Festival, at the University of Bolton Stadium, continues today and over the weekend, where all of the award-winning beers below will be on sale.
The full list of winners
Overall Champion of the Cask Competition
Sponsored by Murphy & Son Ltd | Brewery | Product | ABV | |
| Gold | Cairngorm Brewery Company | Black Gold | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Ardgour Ales Ltd | Gobhar Reamhar | 6.5 | |
| Bronze | Five Kingdoms Brewery | Wee McAsh Bitter | 4.5 |
Cask British Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Cairngorm Brewery Company | Black Gold | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Stewart Brewing | Stewart’s 80/- | 4.4 | |
| Bronze | Strathaven Ales | Ebony | 4.4 |
Cask British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Kelburn Brewing Co Ltd | Dark Moor | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Loch Lomond Brewery | Silkie Stout | 5 | |
| Bronze | Cairngorm Brewery Company | Wildcat | 5.1 |
Cask British Bitters (up to 4.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Fyne Ales | Hurricane Jack | 4.4 | |
| Silver | Swannay Brewery | Scapa Special | 4.2 | |
| Bronze | Harviestoun Brewery | Bitter and Twisted | 3.8 |
Cask Premium Bitters (4.5 to 6.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Five Kingdoms Brewery | Wee McAsh Bitter | 4.5 | |
| Silver | Windswept Brewing Co. | APA | 5 | |
| Bronze | Fyne Ales | Highlander | 4.9 |
Cask Session IPA (up to 4.3%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Loch Lomond Brewery | Southern Summit | 4 | |
| Silver | Stewart Brewing | Jack Back | 3.7 | |
| Bronze | Swannay Brewery | island Hopping | 3.9 |
Cask Premium PAs (4.4 to 5.4%)
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Swannay Brewery | Orkney IPA | 4.8 | |
| Silver | Loch Lomond Brewery | Lost in Mosaic | 5 | |
| Bronze | Windswept Brewing Co. | Hurricane | 4.5 |
Cask Speciality Light Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Harviestoun Brewery | Schiehallion | 4.8 | |
| Silver | Strathaven Ales | Ginger Jock | 4 | |
| Bronze | Cairngorm Brewery Company | Trade Winds | 4.3 |
Cask Speciality Mid to Dark Beers
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Orkney Brewery | Dark Island Reserve | 10 |
Cask Strong Beers 6.5% and over
| Brewery | Product | ABV | ||
| Gold | Ardgour Ales Ltd | Gobhar Reamhar | 6.5 | |
| Silver | Strathaven Ales | 500 | 7 |
