Gold for Baker’s Dozen at SIBA East Keg Beer Awards -

Baker’s Dozen Brewing Co, a husband-and-wife-owned microbrewery in Ketton, Rutland, has taken home the overall gold in the SIBA East Independent Keg Beer Awards.

They beat brewers from across the East of England, stretching from North Lincolnshire down to Essex and Hertfordshire, as well Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

Their Undertow session IPA is hazy and full flavoured, styled after American New England IPAs but at a more sessionable strength of 4.8% ABV. The beer was named best in class for pales ales before going on to be named the overall champion in the final round judging. All of the winners from the awards will now go on to battle it out at the National finals in Liverpool next year.

Run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), and held at the Legra Tap and Kitchen in Leigh-on-Sea, the awards are judged by brewers and beer experts. All of the beers involved in the competition will now be available as part of an Independent Beer Awards Tap Takeover at the Legra Tap and other select venues across Leigh-on-Sea from today.

Dean and Gill Baker, from Baker’s Dozen Brewing Co, were both on hand to accept their award. Gill said: “We’re just shocked and delighted to win. I’m actually shaking! We’re over the moon and really didn’t expect this.”

Dean added: “What we love about this beer is that while it is hazy and aromatic like you would expect from a New England IPA or pale ale, it also has a really good undertow of bitterness — hence the name!”

Neil Walker, SIBA’s head of communications, said: “The quality of beer now available on keg is incredible in the East, with some superb craft lagers, pales ales, IPAs, and many international styles now being brewed across the region.

“The quality of beer in the competition was genuinely excellent and judges had a very tough job seperating winners from a very high-quality pack. Huge congratulations to all of our gold award breweries, and in particular Dean and Gill from Baker’s Dozen, who were very deserving winners of the SIBA East Independent Beer Awards overall gold — good luck in the national finals!”

The majority of the beers from the competition will now be available across Leigh-on-Sea beer venues as part of an Independent Beer Awards Tap Takeover, including the Legra Tap & Kittchen, operated by Leigh-on-Sea Brewery.

The full list of winners

Overall champion of the keg competition

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Gold	Baker’s Dozen Brewing Co.	Undertow	4.8
Silver	Grain Brewery Ltd	Slate	6.0
Bronze	Leigh on Sea Brewery	Two Tree Island	4.5

Keg lager

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Gold	Ferry Ales Brewery	Lincoln Lager	4.3
Silver	Grain Brewery Ltd	Pilsener	4.0
Silver	Leigh on Sea Brewery	Love Leigh Lager	4.5
Bronze	Brewster’s Brewing Co Ltd	Helles Lager	4.0
Bronze	Norfolk Brewhouse Moon Gazer Ale	Dewhopper	4.0

Keg wheat beer

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Gold	Adnams	Bierre Blanche	5.0
Silver	Grain Brewery Ltd	Weizen	5.0
Bronze	Duration	Quiet Song	4.3

Keg bitter

Sponsored by Charles Faram	Brewery	Product	ABV
Silver	Adnams	Ghost Ship	4.5

Keg pale ale

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Gold – category winner	Baker’s Dozen Brewing Co.	Undertow	4.8
Gold	Briarbank Brewing Company	Suffolk Haze	5.0
Silver	Duration	Turtles All The Way Down	5.5
Bronze	Barsham Brewery	StackYard Hazy IPA	5.0

Keg IPA

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Gold	Six Hills Brewing	Free Wheeling Man	6.2
Silver	Baker’s Dozen Brewing Co.	12 Second Panda	6.0
Silver	Briarbank Brewing Company	Hop To It	6.2
Bronze	Brewster’s Brewing Co Ltd	Virago IPA	5.8

Keg speciality IPA

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Bronze	Adnams	Innovation	6.7

Keg amber, brown, and red ale

	Brewery	Product	ABV	ABV
Gold	Leigh on Sea Brewery	Two Tree Island	4.5

Keg stout and porter

	Brewery	Product	ABV
Gold	Grain Brewery Ltd	Slate	6.0
Silver	Mauldons Brewery	Black Adder	4.5
Bronze	Brentwood Brewing Company – Elephant School	My Milk Stout Brings All The Boys To The Yard	4.5
Bronze	Brewhouse & Kitchen Bedford	Chief Goober	5.4