An Ipswich bar and brewery has won further recognition for its most popular beer, taking home gold at the National Independent Beer Awards.

The Briarbank Bar and Brewery, in Fore Street, won a gold award in the Bottle/Can Speciality Medium to Dark beers at the SIBA National Independent Beer Awards 2022, on March 17 in Liverpool for Mocha Porter.

The roast coffee and chocolate porter has been winning awards since 2020 with another award at SIBA Regional Online Bottle & Can Beer Awards 2021 for the East Region in December last year.

The judging panel is made up of brewers, industry experts and beer journalists, and they inspected a huge range of beers across a number of styles in separate cask, keg and bottle and can competitions.

Head brewer Robert Lewis-Pyke said; “I’m absolutely over the moon that Mocha Porter has won gold in its category at the SIBA National Independent Beer Awards 2022. To go up against seven other gold winners from the 2021 regionals and be awarded gold is amazing.”

Roy Alkin, SIBA chairman, added: "Judges had a tough job separating the pack as the standard was extremely high once again. The winners from the SIBA competition are officially the best independent craft beers in the UK, something brewers should be extremely proud of.”

The Briarbank was also successful in SIBA Regional Keg Independent Beer Awards winning gold in the Keg Premium PAs (4.4%-5.4%), with their new beer Suffolk Haze, which is made with a Sabro Cryo hops and Galaxy Hops blend.

Its Black Horse Stout won silver in the Keg British Dark Beers Category (up to 4.4%),

Mocha Porter received bronze in the Keg Speciality Mid to Dark beers and Hop to It took bronze in the Keg IPA (5.5%-6.4%) category.

Robert said: "Suffolk Haze is a new beer for us, a beer made with two hops we had never used before, so having a brand new beer win is fantastic.

There are a lot of amazing breweries in the East Region producing some great beer, so to be awarded not one but four regional awards is amazing. Congratulations to all the winners."

In the summer of 2020 the brewery launched an online shop meaning those around the UK can buy their Suffolk brewed beer.