East Norfolk brewery wins top award

Real Ale lovers in the county are raising a glass to Audit Ale, an 8% Barley Wine brewed by Lacons of Great Yarmouth, that has been judged the top Real Ale in A Bottle (RAIB) brewed in Norfolk.  

Described by the judges as having a ‘Smooth and malty character finely balanced by malt and berries’ the beer, one of Lacons Heritage Ales, triumphed in the annual competition organised by the Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).  

Alan Edwards, Chair of the Norfolk Taste Panel explained, “The competition is organised to showcase the fine range of Norfolk brewed real ales that are available in bottles.  These beers can be drunk at home or stocked in pubs shops and restaurants that may not always have cask ales.  This is another way for us all to support our local brewers.” 

Audit Ale is a multi-award-winning brew having won Champion Winter Beer of Britain at The Great British Beer Festival in 2019, CAMRA Overall Gold Champion Bottled Beer of Norfolk 2021 and most recently Champion Beer of Britain East Anglia: Barley Wine & Strong Ales Category.

Runner Up in the competition is Big Sharpie, a 5% Premium Pale Ale brewed by Reedham based Humpty Dumpty Brewery with Overall Third Place going to Bouchart X a fearsome 10% Strong Mild brewed by North Norfolk brewers Moon Gazer Ales.  

The competition, open to all Norfolk brewers, attracted 77 entries from 15 breweries.  All parts of Norfolk are represented in the list of winners.  The Lynn Brewery from West Norfolk, one of the many new thriving microbreweries won three categories whilst North and South Norfolk are represented by Moon Gazer Ales of Hindringham and Elmtree from Snetterton.

CHAMPION BOTTLED BEER OF NORFOLK 2023

OVERALL

WINNER:  Audit Ale; Lacons, Great Yarmouth

RUNNER UP: Big Sharpie; Humpty Dumpty, Reedham

THIRD:  Bouchart X; Moon Gazer, Hindringham

CATEGORY WINNERS

MILDS
WINNER: Red Mount Mild; Lynn, King’s Lynn

SESSION BITTERS
WINNER: Lynn Ferry Bitter; Lynn, King’s Lynn
RUNNER UP: Best Bitter; Elmtree, Snetterton

PREMIUM BITTERS
WINNER:   Snetterton Scary Tree; Elmtree, Snetterton

IPAs
WINNER: Top of the Hop; Elmtree, Snetterton
RUNNER UP: Highlight; Lacons, Great Yarmouth

SESSION PALE BLONDE & GOLDEN ALES
WINNER: Vancouver Blonde; Lynn,  King’s Lynn
RUNNER UP: Evolutio; Mr Winter’s, Norwich
THIRD: Galaxy Dream; Tindall, Seething  

PREMIUM PALE BLONDE & GOLDEN ALES
WINNER: Big Sharpie; Humpty Dumpty, Reedham
RUNNER UP: Golden Pale; Elmtree, Snetterton

RED ALES, BROWN ALES, OLD ALES & STRONG MILDS
WINNER: Bouchart X; Moon Gazer, Hindringham
RUNNER UP: Red Mill;  Humpty Dumpty, Reedham
THIRD:  Old Nog; Lacons, Great Yarmouth  

SESSION STOUTS & PORTERS
WINNER: Three Threads Smoked Porter; Fengate, Marsham
RUNNER UP: Spiral Stout; Boudicca, Norwich

STRONG STOUTS & PORTERS
WINNER: Dark Amber; Birdhouse, Downham Market 
RUNNER UP: Imperial Extra Double Stout; Fengate, Marsham

BARLEY WINES & STRONG ALES
WINNER: Audit Ale;  Lacons, Great Yarmouth
RUNNER UP: Bob’s Tale;Moon Gazer, Hindringham

SPECIALITY BEERS
WINNER: Yarmouth Strong; Lacons, Great Yarmouth
RUNNER UP: Cherry Stout; Fengate, Marsham
THIRD:  Vanilla Latte; Mr Winter’s, Norwich 

Beer Festival Logo Competition 2023

The annual competition has been launched by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) to find the new logo for the 45th Norwich Beer Festival, taking place from Monday 23rd October until Saturday 28th October 2023.

The deadline for logo entries is 11pm Monday 20th February 2023 and Norwich & District CAMRA are looking for innovative designs depicting a dragon of some form.

Craig Harmer, Festival Organiser, said :“The festival logo is a critical element that binds many aspects of the festival together.  We always get a wide variety of designs and styles submitted.  We're looking forward to receiving them”.

As always, the essential element is that a dragon must be included within the design, although abstract is acceptable.  Also, a maximum of five solid colours (four is preferable) can be used, including any black or white parts of the design.  Entrants are asked to specify "Adult" or "Under-18" and include their name, contact details and age (if under-18) within the email.  Visit https://camra.org.uk/privacy-policy/ for our privacy policy.

Judging will by organised by the festival organisers and the winner will receive £100 along with a selection of merchandise featuring their logo at the festival.  There will be two runner-up prizes of complementary festival tickets, and the best under-18 entrant will receive a voucher.

All entries must be in a standard image format (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, GIF, BMP, or PDF).  Vector files are welcome as long as a standard image format is included.  Hand drawn entries are acceptable, but must be scanned or photographed.  Multiple entries are also acceptable.

All entries (and queries) must be emailed to logo@norwichbeerfestival.org.uk and be received before 11pm Monday 20th February 2023.  All email entries will be acknowledged.

All entries will become the property of the Norwich & District branch of the Campaign for Real Ale and may be used for display and publicity purposes.  The logo of the winner will be depicted on the festival glass, programme, and other merchandise.

2022 Beers Of The Festival results

The October Norwich Beer Festival invites its visitors to complete a slip at the merchandise stand, voting for their personal favourite beers of the festival.

With a good number of attendees this year and more people aware of the ‘beer of the festival’ competition, there have been plenty of entries to count and the winners can now be announced.

Overall winner is a collaboration beer by Vocation Brewery, from Yorkshire, and Neon Raptor Brewery, from Nottingham, with their Imperial Stout, closely followed by Peterborough-based Xtreme’s BlaX Forest stout!

Overall bronze had three winners, scoring equal votes, and won by Norwich’s Fengate with their Double India Pale Ale, Ely’s Three Blind Mice, Duality V2 and Norfolk’s Old Chimneys, Good King Henry.

Craig Harmer, Norwich Beer Festival Organiser, commented: ‘This competition means a lot to the breweries so we would like to thank those who voted. The Norwich Beer Festival is the best opportunity locally to sample so many beers from local and national producers all under one roof.

‘We were delighted with the attendance at this year’s festival and were equally pleased by the continued support last year, after the pandemic lockdown.

‘It is always heart-warming to see the popularity of the festival, now in its 44th year. Thanks also go to our amazing team of volunteers who ensure that the festival runs smoothly, with improvements year on year.’

Overall Winners:

Gold: Vocation, Neon Raptor; Silver: Xtreme, BlaX Forest Stout; Joint Bronze: Fengate, Double India Pale Ale; Three Blind Mice, Duality V2; Old Chimneys, Good King Henry

Categories:

Barley Wines & Strong Ales

Gold: Bruha, XO

Brown, Red, Old Ales & Strong Milds

Gold: Lacons, Old Nogg; Silver: Moon Gazer, Bouchart; Bronze: Moon Gazer, Witch-Hare

IPAs

Joint Gold: Fengate, Double India Pale Ale; Three Blind Mice, Duality V2; Bronze: Grain, Lignum Vitae

Milds

Gold: Elmtree, Professor; Silver: Elephant School, White Elephant; Bronze: Beeston, The Squirrels Nuts

Premium Bitters

Gold: Harrogate, Harrogate Best; Silver: Beccles Brew Co, Nelson’s Tree; Bronze: Clun, Citadel

Session Bitters

Joint Gold: Mighty Oak, Bat Juice; Portobello, Star; Joint Bronze: Papworth, Crystal Ship; Three Blind Mice, Old Brown Mouse

Premium Goldens

Gold: Rudgate, Valkyrie; Silver: Wildcraft, Wild Un Bongo Mango; Bronze: Peerless, Knee Buckler

Session Goldens

Gold: Tindall, Galaxy Dream; Silver: Papworth, Fen Skater; Bronze: Boudicca, Queen of Hops

Session Stouts and Porters

Gold: Xtreme, BlaX Forest Stout; Silver: Elephant School, My Milk Stout Brings all the Bulls to the Yard; Bronze: Wilde Child, Clique Fiesta Biscoff

Strong Stouts and Porters

Gold: Vocation, Neon Raptor; Silver: Old Chimneys, Good King Henry; Bronze: Xtreme, Rhubarb X Custard

Speciality Beers Differently Produced

Gold: Moon Gazer, Full Caff Pale; Silver: Green Jack, Big Dog; Bronze: Opa Hay’s, Liquid Bread

Speciality Beers Differently Flavoured

Gold: Xtreme Ales, Strawberry Xtreme; Silver: Brew York, Rhubarbra Streisand; Bronze: Mr Winter’s, Vanilla Latte