We never imagined we’d do even better than last year, but we did! We were thrilled and delighted to pick up another FOUR awards at this year’s SIBA regional competition in York last night – Gold for Polly Donkin Stout and Silvers for Shuggy Boat Blonde, Rocket Brigade IPA and Portland coffee porter. The Portland has been selling exceptionally well, so we are planning on making it one of our core range in place of our Storm Porter. If you want to taste it it’s on now at Left Luggage Room Monkseaton and in bottles at Boda Home, Centrale, Coppers and Rehills of Jesmond.

There were 53 breweries in the competition, and 324 beers judged brewers, landlords and industry suppliers. We had a fantastic family day out in York, lunching at the famous House of Trembling Madness in Stonegate before the competition, then enjoying BFest, the beer folk and blues festival, that starts straight afterwards. Late train home, to find the Metro all awry but it didn’t dampen our spirits, and we eventually found our way home to Cullercoats. And then all the bustle of the Harbour day the next day, and even SHUGGY BOATS on the beach! It’s time for a lie down…