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On the podium: White Rat
Congratulations to Rat Brewery whose White Rat beer won overall silver in the SIBA North East awards today.
The 4 per cent beer also won gold in the Best Bitters category in the Society of Independent Brewers regional competition.
The Nook Brewhouse in Holmfirth also ended up on the podium with a bronze for its Oat Stout (5.2 per cent) in the Porters, Stouts, Old Ales and Stong Milds section.
And Bosun's Brewery, which we told you about when it started up in June, also got a bronze for Maiden Voyage (3.9 per cent) in the Standard Bitter category.
Although it's brewed over the border in Horbury Bridge, it's run by Huddersfield raised father and son Grahame Andrews Senior and Junior.
The announcements were made tonight at York Beer Festival (Sept 18-21) which began tonight.
White Rat just lost out on the main prize to Brass Castle whose 5.7 per cent Sunshine was crowned overall champion of the SIBA North East competition.
The Rat Brewery has been busy racking up awards since brewing resumed on Chapel Hill in 2011 after a seven-year gap.
The Ossett-owned micro brewery, which is based at The Rat and Ratchet in Huddersfield town centre, won beer of the festival at both Liverpool and Dewsbury festivals last year.
I recall going to a showcase of Rat beers in April this year and being wowed by beer after beer. There were no duds in sight and I seem to recall a slightly wobbly walk homewards after finishing with some high volume IPA with 'Bonkers' in the title!
A trawl through our archives to refresh my memory about all things Rat revealed a prophetic post by Timbo from summer 2012.
In it he talks about White Rat and hopes for more awards.
He said on July 19 last year: "White Rat' is one of their regular beers, often gracing the bar in the Rat & Ratchet. A light, quaffing beer with a pleasant hop combination, it is very moreish, definitely a favourite in the pub. And it seems elsewhere as well.
"In the last fortnight the brewery has been awarded 'Beer of the Festival' at two Camra beer festivals. Both Liverpool and Dewsbury branches voted for it and shows how far that the brewery has come in a very short time. Credit must be given to Paul (Spencer) and his team for their efforts, and lets hope these are the first awards of many."
You can read more of Mystic Tim's original post here: http://goo.gl/erXDn4




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