Black Country beer is the toast of Britain - here's why
Real ale buffs are raising a glass to a Black Country brewery whose strong ale has been judged the best of its kind in the country.
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Snowflake, by the Sarah Hughes brewery in Sedgley, retained its gold medal in the barley wines and strong ales category in the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) Champion Champion Winter Beer of Britain.
The beer, which is eight per cent in strength, also took silver in the overall best beer category, being pipped to the post this time by Cairngorm brewery's Black Gold. Last year, Snowflake took the overall title as well.
Fixed Wheel brewery also took silver with Blackheath Stout in the strong stouts and porters section, having won gold in previous competitions.
The winners were announced at the Great British Beer Festival Winter in Rotherham..
Following more than a year of local blind-tasting panels and regional heats, the final round of judging took place at the festival, with judges awarding the gold medal to Snowflake, beating Abbeydale’s Black Mass which took silver, and Exmoor’s Beast, which took bronze.
Judges described as: “A stunning golden brown barley wine with a strong fruity nose of orange and honey. These favours are on a smooth palette with a growing spicy bitterness. Rich and satisfying.”
