Maxim Swedish Blonde and American Pride miss out in Great British Beer Hunt

A tasty blonde from County Durham has missed out on national exposure after losing out to a stunner from Lincolnshire.

Maxim Brewery’s Swedish Blonde and American Pride were among the 12 finalists in Sainsbury’s Great British Beer Hunt 2013 which vied for a place on the shelves of 300 of the supermarket’s stores.

But, after judging by a panel of experts including beer sommelier Sophie Atherton, author Pete Brown and British Guild of Beer Writers secretary Adrian Tierney-Jones, the pair both lost out to Batemans Brewery’s B Bock.

“2013 has been a record year for the Great British Beer Hunt with over 150 beers entering the competition and more Sainsbury’s customers than ever before buying premium bottled beers in-store,” said Jack Rutherford, Sainsbury’s beer buyer.

“The past six months have been incredibly exciting with customers and beer experts alike playing a huge part in the search for some of Britain’s finest beers.”

Thwaites Brewery, in Blackburn, took second spot in the final – which was held in the OXO Tower in London – with their Crafty Dan now also set to be available in 150 supermarkets from November 3.

The 4.2% Swedish Blonde was named after Maxim saleswoman Anna Goransdotter-Bell, who was born in Västerås, a town between Gothenburg and Stockholm

The beer is very light in colour and uses cascade and first gold hops to give hoppy and grapefruit flavours.