The Castle, in Macclesfield, has scooped the best pub award in the 2024 Mild Magic Ale Trail, organised by Stockport and South Manchester CAMRA.
Darren Berry (right) organiser of Mild Magic, with (from left to right) Castle regular Kevin Rothwell, and bar team members Dave Dooley and Tommy Lewis
The annual ale trail, now in its 30th year, covered 100 pubs in and around the Manchester area, and, for the first time, pubs in Macclesfield were invited to join in.
The Castle was voted best pub for mild ale by thirsty drinkers, but that’s not all. One of the many milds that the pub served up in the five-week trail, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby, was voted best mild of the trail. So it was only fitting that both awards should be made at the pub.
Sarah Hughes Brewery is based at the Beacon Hotel, in Sedgeley in the West Midlands, and the owner, Simon Massey, travelled up to Macclesfield to receive the award. He revealed that 60% of the Dark Ruby output went to the Beacon, but was delighted that some was available for other pubs to enjoy.
So when Castle regular Kevin Rothwell heard that the pub was participating in Mild Magic, he asked owner Rebecca Prunty to try to order some Dark Ruby. She managed to obtain three nine-gallon barrels, and each sold out within 24 hours when word got round. Needless to say, there was another nine-gallon barrel available for the awards ceremony and this, too, only lasted 24 hours!
Darren Berry with Sarah Hughes Brewery owner Simon Massey
Mild Magic organiser, Darren Berry, said: “We were not sure whether the inclusion of Macclesfield on the trail for the first time would be a success. However, we needn’t have worried as all four pubs involved stepped up to the mark and introduced ale-trailers to the town with a wide range of milds to enjoy.
“The Castle is a fabulous pub, full of history, and we were pleased that it re-opened three years ago, after being closed for some time. In 2023, it was CAMRA Cheshire pub of the year and won the national CAMRA/Historic England conservation award. Now it is the Mild Magic champion pub as well.
“It is also fitting that the pub was selling the iconic Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby mild, as they re-started brewing in 1987 after years of closure, and, like the Castle, have won many awards since. One of their beers, an 8% barley wine called Snowflake, is the current CAMRA champion winter beer of Britain. It just shows that determination and enthusiasm can overcome difficulties and result in success all round. Congratulations to both of them.”
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