Moon Gazer Ales has picked up three awards at the Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Eastern region awards, held in Leigh on Sea.
Moon Gazer Ales’ Andrew Woods, Rachel Holliday, and Seb Van De Bergh, with the awards. Photograph: Moon Gazer Ales
The brewer won the silver medal in each of three beer categories with Skidaddler (stout category), Dewhopper (lager category), and Snowshoe (red ale category).
The beers were entered in the regional competition for keg dispensed beers and were judged against beers from seven counties. More than 50 brewers, beer sommeliers, and industry experts attended the awards.
“We are delighted that we were judged to be in the top beers produced in the region, and to continue our proud run of representing craft beer from Norfolk,” said Moon Gazer Ales co-founder David Holliday.
“It’s also testament to how Moon Gazer cask beers can transfer excellently into keg — by way of us now using Key Kegs — which are effectively produced in the same way as cask beer but are dispensed on a pubs’ keg line, which has opened up a whole new audience to our beers.”
He added: “Dewhopper, which once again received an award in the lager category, is particularly pleasing as we genuinely believe it to be the most awarded lager in East Anglia, now numbering over a dozen awards in recent years. It is an easy-drinking 4% ABV British lager and is judged in a fiercely contested category as so many craft brewers and regional breweries now create craft lagers.
“To be awarded three silvers against such a strong line-up of top brewers was amazing. We take great pride in our craft beers, and just love the fact that we are able to fly the flag for Norfolk, our home county of which we are so proud.”
There is a strong Norfolk flavour in all Moon Gazer ales as they are brewed using Norfolk Maris Otter barley from local maltster Crisp Maltings. The brewery is now looking forward to developing its keg range further, as well as continuing
with its core business of cask ales.
The brewery will now be heading to the national SIBA awards in Liverpool where its Cheeky Jack IPA is in the national cask final. Also, brewery owner David is up for the Community Award for his work for charity and raising awareness of testicular cancer.
