Harrogate Brewing Co. have firmly etched their name in the history books, taking home the two top spots in the first ever Indie Beer Awards North East.
The brewery won Gold and Silver in the Overall Champions judging, where all of the day’s category winners across a broad range of beer styles fight it out to be named the ‘best of the best’. Harrogate’s ‘Nidd Mild’ took the Overall Champion Gold, with another dark beer, their ‘Harrogate Porter’ getting Silver. Narrowly missing out on the top spots was Overall third place Champion Hadrian’s Border Brewery with ‘Northumbrian Gold’.
“We were so delighted to be voted Harrogate Independent Business of the Year last year but these Indie Beer Awards have really blown us away. The North of England has so many great breweries, so to win two Golds is amazing. It gets a little crazy when they are then awarded Overall Champion Beer and Runner Up for the whole of the region.
This is a great lift for our small family business during these really testing times for independent brewers. Hopefully, it will encourage more people to try our beers!” Joe Joyce, Harrogate Brewing Co.
The awards, which were judged and presented at Gateshead Rugby Football Club Beer Festival, are judged by beer sommeliers, master brewers and other expert beer judges from across the industry. Organised by the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), and formerly called the SIBA Independent Beer Awards, the awards have been renamed the Indie Beer Awards to align with the hugely successful Indie Beer campaign launched last year by the organisation.
“Judging beers in a huge range of styles, the Indie Beer Awards really do show the very best the North East has to offer and the quality across the board was incredibly high this year. Huge congratulations to all of the catgeory winners and in particular Harrogate Brewing Co who took home the two top awards of the day – a huge achievement in a very tough judging.” Neil Walker, Indie Beer Awards organiser.
The SIBA Independent Beer Awards included a broad range of beer styles, from pale ales and IPAs to porters, stouts and speciality beer styles. Gold winners from the awards will now go forwards to the National Finals in Liverpool March 2026.
Indie Beer Awards North East – Full Results: Click here
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For images of the judging and awards: Click here
For further information please email press@siba.co.uk
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