Tongham TEA Medals at International Brewing Awards 2026

Surrey-based Hogs Back Brewery picked up its first medal at the International Brewing Awards 2026.

The prestigious annual awards, know unofficially as the “Oscars of the brewing industry”, attract high calibre competition from across the world of beer.

Picking up the Bronze medal marks the latest in a long line of national and international awards for Tongham TEA [Traditional English Ale].

Tongham TEA was the first beer ever to be brewed at Manor Farm, Surrey, over 33 years ago and has been on sale continuously ever since.  Brewed to an almost unchanged recipe, the 4.2% Traditional English Ale, named after the village the Brewery calls home, is small-batch brewed with the finest English malted barley, Surrey-grown hops and water drawn from the chalk aquifers under the Hogs Back ridge.

Many of the Fuggles hops are grown at the Brewery’s own Hop Garden, just yards from the brewhouse, by Estate Manager, Matthew King.

From its modest roots in the farm buildings of Tongham, Tongham TEA was immediately recognised for its quality by its many successes at regional beer festivals, before coming to national prominence by winning Gold in the CAMRA Best Bitters Category in 2000, and scooping CAMRA Runner Up Champion Beer of Britain that same year.

With further regional success in the London and South East CAMRA awards of 2014, a Gold in the World Beer Awards of 2017 and a Bronze in the International Beer Challenge 2017, Tongham TEA has established itself as one of the leading brands within the influential South East region.

Thanks to its consistently high quality, sales of Tongham TEA have proven resilient, bouncing back after Covid, and have just posted Year on Year turnover increases of 7% in On Trade National Accounts, despite the current trading challenges.

Managing Director, Miles Chesterman, said, “We are delighted to receive this award for our flagship brand.  It’s testament to the skill of our Head Brewery, Dewald Goosen, and the brew team to be able to brew a beer of this quality, week in, week out. Despite the challenges faced by the Cask Ale sector, consumers really appreciate a well-brewed, traditional pint at their local pub.  We hope the recognition from winning this accolade will bring Tongham TEA to an even wider audience of cask ale drinkers.”

Tongham TEA was Bronze Award Winner, Class 2 (3.9% - 4.3%), International Cask Conditioned Beer Competition at the International Brewing Awards 2026 and is available in cask and 500ml bottle from sales@hogsback.co.uk.

Notes to Editor:

Hogs Back Brewery

• Hogs Back Brewery was founded in 1992 in Tongham, in the traditional hop growing region of Surrey. Its flagship brand, Tongham TEA (Traditional English Ale), is a leading regional ale in the south-east.

• The brewery's range includes award-winning draught, bottled, and canned beers, showcasing its blend of brewing expertise and innovation. Notable awards include:

  • Little Swine 0.5%: Gold medals in the European Beer Challenge 2024, SIBA National Independent Beer Awards 2024, with Bronze medals at the World Alcohol Free Awards 2024 and International Beer Challenge 2025.

  • A over T (Aromas over Tongham) 9% ABV: CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Britain 2020.

  • Hogstar lager: Gold medal in the World Beer Awards 2017.

  • Hazy Hog: Bronze medal in the International Cider Challenge 2019.

  • Tongham TEA: The first beer brewed by Hogs Back in 1992, Tongham TEA has won multiple awards including runner-up in CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain in 2000.

• In 2014 Hogs Back planted its own revival hop garden, and since then has been successfully harvesting its Fuggles, English Cascade, and Farnham White Bine hops, which provide approximately 50% of its annual hop requirements.  It is the largest integrated hop grower and brewer in the UK.

• In 2024, it won the Le May Cup for its White Bine hop and received Gold and Silver awards for its Fuggles and English Cascade hops, respectively.

• Committed to sustainability, Hogs Back has introduced 120 solar panels to its roof, sells spent grain to local farmers as animal feed and aims to reduce its single-use plastic, having introduced refillable glass Snorters and Snifters flagons.  It has removed over 20,000 PETs bottles from its business and earning Plastic Free Champion status from Surfers Against Sewage.

• In 2024, Hogs Back stepped in to help craft brewer Mondo, investing to secure the future of its brands and the brewery and taproom in Battersea.

• In January 2025, Miles Chesterman became Managing Director, with owner Rupert Thompson now serving as Executive Chairman.

• In May 2025, Hogs Back entered into a collaboration with Exmoor Ales, investing in a restructure and taking a significant minority stake in the new business, Exmoor Drinks Ltd.

www.hogsback.co.uk.

Image:

Hogs Back Brewery’s Brew Team:

Top row (L to R): Jack Cherry, Andrew Nash, Dominic Rawson

Bottom row (L to R): Mark Buckett, Colin Catmull, Mark Andrews, Dewald Goosen (Head Brewer)

Contact:

Jill Adams, Director of Marketing, Hogs Back Brewery

jill@hogsback.co.uk

07879 334675

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