Loose Cannon, Attic Brew Co and Lincoln Green Take Home the Overall Golds at the Midlands & West Indie Beer Awards 2026

The results of the UK’s biggest regional beer competition have been revealed, with winners from across the Midlands and West of England named Champions in a broad range of beer styles and formats. Loose Cannon Brewery (Oxfordshire), Attic Brew Co (Birmingham) and Lincoln Green (Nottingham) took home the biggest awards, being named Overall Champions in the separate cask, keg, and bottle & can categories respectively.

The awards are organised by the Society of Independent Breweries & Associates (SIBA) and were held at the Ludlow Spring Festival. SIBA Chief Executive Andy Slee said: “It was great to be back at the superb Ludlow Spring Festival for the Indie Beer Awards and Beer Festival. This huge competition names the very best beers from across the Midlands and West of England in a wide variety of styles, so whether you enjoy lagers and stouts, or hazy pale ales and IPAs, be sure to check out the winners and find a beer for you.

“In a competition with such a high calibre of entries I’d like to say huge congratulations to Loose Cannon, Attic and Lincoln Green for being named the ‘best of the best’ in our Overall Champions judging – to win this you have to first win your style category and then go on to be named the best against all other style winners. Well done to them and to all of this year’s winners!”

Overall Cask Champion: Loose Cannon Brewery – Cool Name to Follow

Loose Cannon took home Overall Gold in the Cask Awards with their ‘Cool Name to Follow’, a strong golden IPA (8.0% Double IPA) with aromas and flavours of citrus and resinous pine. The same beer also took Gold in both the Bottle & Can and Keg categories, along with Bronze in the overall Bottle & Can championship.

Alex Scott, Head Brewer at Loose Cannon Brewery, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been awarded Overall Cask Champion at the Indie Beer Awards with our 8.0% Double IPA, Cool Name to Follow. These awards are a real reflection of the hard work, skill and commitment of our entire production team, who consistently push for quality and never settle for ‘good enough.’ What makes this particularly meaningful is the standard of the competition. There were so many highly regarded breweries involved, all producing exceptional beer, and that level of quality really highlights just how strong and exciting the independent beer scene is right now.”

Overall Keg Champion: Attic Brew Co – Helles Lager

Attic Brew Co’s new Helles Lager was named Overall Champion in Keg – a classic German style Helles with a rich, smooth flavour. Sam Back, MD of Attic Brew Co, said: “We’re delighted that our newest core beer has won the overall keg champion award at the Midlands’ judging. This premium lager is proving to be a big hit with our customers in the trade and at the taproom as well as with the whole team at Attic.”

Overall Bottle & Can Champion: Lincoln Green – Mayfly

Lincoln Green’s ‘Mayfly’ was named Overall Champion in the Bottle & Can Awards. The gluten-free Kölsch-style ale is described as crisp and refreshing and drinks much like a German lager. Anthony Hughes, brewery owner, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with these results and incredibly proud of the whole brewing team. To receive five Gold awards across such a broad range of styles is a real testament to the skill, passion and consistency of everyone involved in creating our beers.

“Mayfly being named overall Bottle and Can Category Champion makes it even more special, as it was the first recipe developed by our Brewer Apprentice, Darryl Shields. That’s a huge achievement for Darryl and a wonderful sign of the bright future ahead of him in brewing.”

Gold winners from the awards will now go forward to the National Finals in Liverpool in March 2027.

For more information:

SIBA Press Office

Email: neil.walker@siba.co.uk | Address: Fishergreen, Ripon, HG4 1NL

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