Arkell’s Brewery, one of only twenty-eight independent family brewers left in the UK, is celebrating the hard work and dedication of their brew team after scooping a trio of awards in recent competitions. Haze Pale Ale and Malthouse Craft Lager were awarded Gold and Bronze, respectively, at the SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards, and Kingsdown Ale bottled beer received Gold in the South West Taste of the West Awards.
Haze is the brewery’s first vegan & gluten-free beer, described as a 4% ABV pale ale with a tropical fruit nose and a tropical fruit and mango flavour. Receiving Gold in the Keg Session Pale Ale category at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers and Associates) South West Independent Beer Awards, Alex Arkell, Head Brewer commented “It couldn’t be better feedback on our brand-new beer, straight in with a Gold for its first ever award.”
Alex continued “We are equally delighted that our Malthouse Craft Lager has been recognised with Bronze in the Keg Session Lager category. It’s a fantastic award for our newly rebranded Malthouse, and reconfirms that the lager is as good as we think it is!”
Malthouse is noted for being a 4.2% ABV, handmade, refreshing, characterful English lager, brewed using local barley. Alex explained, “Unlike many lagers, we like to slow ferment Malthouse for up to a month, creating a softer, cleaner flavour with a satisfying fullness in the mouth. After this, rather than pasteurising and cooking the aromas, we gently triple micro filter the beer to lock in the thirst-quenching flavour.”
The SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards, which took place at MaltingsFest in Newton Abbot, highlight the very best beers from a huge range of styles, strengths, and flavours, including traditional bitters, stouts, modern hazy IPAs, and Pale Ales. Judged by beer experts, experienced beer judges, and fellow brewers from other regions, they are seen as the ‘brewers’ choice awards’ in the UK.
Arkell’s also received an award from The Taste of the West Awards programme, which has been promoting and supporting the South West food and drink industry for over 30 years. They are regarded as a benchmark for excellence across the whole South West region.
Kingsdown Ale, one of the brewery’s long-standing brews, was successful in the Taste of The West product Awards 2024, achieving Gold for the bottled beer. The 4.8% ABV dark ale is a luscious, deep, fruit forward strong bitter with a superb chestnut colour, and smooth aftertaste. Already an award-winning beer, Alex Arkell remarked “It’s fantastic to see the hard work of the brew team recognized again. With a combined length of service in the team of over one hundred years, they always aim to craft exceptional beers that reflect our heritage and unwavering commitment to quality, while exploring innovative ways to keep up with changing trends. This trio of awards celebrates the culmination of the hard work, passion, and dedication of Arkell’s brew team. Cheers to them.”
For more information on Arkell’s hand crafted range of beers, visit https://www.arkells.com/beer
-END-
From left: Jack Bridgman, Kevin McDonald, and Bob Mercer
Notes to Editor: For further info. contact: Helen Ryan at Arkell’s Brewery on 01793 823026, 07972 155 303 or email helen.ryan@arkells.com
Arkell’s Brewery was established in 1843 by John Arkell. Arkell’s is Swindon’s oldest business, and one of just 29 family breweries left in the UK. Arkell’s has 181 years in the brewery business and has four members of the Arkell’s family still remaining at the helm: Chairman James Arkell; his cousin Nick Arkell, Head of Sales, and James’ sons George, and Alex Arkell are Managing Director and Head Brewer respectively.
The Arkell family work at the brewery alongside generations of other local families, brewing real ale and looking after nearly 100 pubs across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Hampshire. Arkell’s ales include Award-winning beers such as Wiltshire Gold, 3B, and Hoperation IPA. Special ales are brewed regularly, with Head Brewer, Alex Arkell, keeping the art of craft ale alive, offering drinkers new tastes and flavours all hand crafted in their brewery.
For further info. contact: Helen Ryan at Arkell’s Brewery on 01793 823026, 07972 155 303 or email helen.ryan@arkells.com
Third-party news items that are posted on the Guild website’s news section come from press releases received by the Guild. These press releases are posted as they have been received and their publication on the Guild website is intended as an informational service provided to our members and website visitors. As such, the publication of a story from a third-party source is neither an endorsement of the content, nor its sender, by the Guild. For enquiries on any news item, please use the contact details that can be found at the bottom of each post.