Padstow Brewing Co has won first place at the Great British Food Awards with its Czech-style Pilsner, beating off stiff competition.
The competition was judged by a panel of experts, with writer and broadcaster Melissa Cole in charge of judging the beer category.
Melissa said of Padstow Pilsner: “Perfectly clean, light and super refreshing, it’s everything I want from a well-made beer of this style, which is tough to make and even tougher to package well.”
The award comes quickly after the cold-fermented Pilsner was awarded a gold at the 2018 Taste of the West Awards, one of only two awarded to Cornish Breweries (Padstow won both).
Padstow Pilsner (4.4% ABV) was one of the first Padstow beers to move into a contemporary 440ml can format.
Perfectly chilled
Head brewer, Caron Archer, said: “Canning gives us complete control over the final product and presents it to the consumer exactly as it left the brewery. Perfectly chilled and enjoyed cold, it suits the style of beer extremely well.”
The brewery has moved two more of its core range to 440ml cans: its hoppy session pale ale, Pocket Rocket (4% ABV), and its oatmeal stout, The Smoke (5.5% ABV).
It has partnered with Falmouth University for can designs for its series of one-off brews, allowing art students to get their work into commercial space. These beers — typically IPAs and DIPAs — have proved very popular with craft beer lovers and sell out quickly.
While pressing ahead with cans, the brewery remains committed to retaining its range of beers in cask and bottle-conditioned format. Caron said: “There is great demand for well-made traditional beers, and we will continue to support our customers with our core range of ales.”
