North East breweries miss out as Elland 1872 Porter crowned top winter beer

THE NORTH East’s top seasonal beers have missed out on the top prizes in Camra’s 2013 Champion Winter Beer of Britain competition.

Judges awarded the over title to Leeds-based Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter for the second time, with it previously having won in 2010.

But even in the four sub-categories in which regional winners were pitted against each other – stouts, strong old ales and barley wines, old ales and milds, and porters – there was no luck for the North East

In the Stout category Jarrow Brewery’s McConnell’s Irish Stout lost out to Suffolk-based winner Bartrams’ Comrade Bill’s Egalitarian Anti Imperialist Soviet Stout, with silver for Marble’s Stouter Stout and bronze to Hop Back’s Entire Stout.

While in the Barley Wines and Strong Old Ales section Darwin Brewery’s Extinction saw gold awarded to Hogs Back’s A Over T. Heart Of Wales High As A Kite took second place and Kinver’s Over The Edge third.

Camra’s National Winter Ales Festival takes place at the Sheridan Suite in Manchester until Saturday January 26.

Click here for a full list of the Champion Winter Beer of Britain winners.