Devon’s Powderkeg Brewery has won Champion Low/No Alcohol Beer at the South West’s Independent Beer Awards at Tuckers Maltings in Newton Abbot.
“Green Light”, the brewery’s 0.5% pale ale took home the top prize with its full-bodied character and generous tropical fruit and citrus aroma.
In accepting the award, head brewer John Magill says, “Low and No as a category continues to grow, with more and more people enjoying these beers, and that’s really great to see. We have been brewing and refining Green Light for six years, really packing in the flavour and developing it so that it is also vegan and gluten-free, making it an any-time beer for anyone.”
The festival also marked the launch of Indie Beer Week, a national campaign to celebrate the diversity and quality of independently brewed beers and encourage people to drink Indie Beer.
On this, John went on to say, “It’s always great to be recognised by your peers in the industry and these awards are an important showcase for the best of South West produce.”
“And it is really important that we highlight the value of independent producers. Microbreweries are where craft beer was born and where the low-and-no concept was developed into quality, modern products. We’ve been brewing Green Light since 2019, and it was recognised as best in the UK as far back as 2020. While there is now lots of bandwagon-jumping from big-money businesses that will ultimately win the market, it’s really important to recognise the massive value of independent businesses, in every sector, as the real innovators and purveyors of quality.”
In all, the Powderkeg team were delighted to win three medals in their respective classes, to add to their long list of accolades:
Gold and Overall Champion for Green Light in ‘Keg No and Low’
Silver and Third Overall for Speak Easy in ‘Cask Session Pale’
Silver and Third Overall for Harmony helles in ‘Keg Session Lagers’
Business owner Jess Magill summed it all up: “It was a wonderful weekend of sunshine and local beer, we got to see lots of old friends and celebrate our own awards alongside many of our friends who also won big. Congratulations to everyone who won, thanks to the organisers and to all of the supporters of independent beer that visited the festival. We are all so lucky to have such a vibrant independent brewing scene in Devon and long may that continue.”
Cans available from www.powderkegbeer.co.uk , local farm shops and independent retailers
RRP: £2.25
Press images can be found here
Ffi contact jess@powderkegbeer.co.uk