MAULDONS Brewery from Suffolk was among the gold medal winners in the 2007-08 Society of Independent Brewers East Region Beer Competition.The Sudbury company won the Bottled Beers category with the bottle-conditioned version of its dark bitter stout Black Adder, also a frequent award winner in cask form.

MAULDONS Brewery from Suffolk was among the gold medal winners in the 2007-08 Society of Independent Brewers East Region Beer Competition.

The Sudbury company won the Bottled Beers category with the bottle-conditioned version of its dark bitter stout Black Adder, also a frequent award winner in cask form.

Mauldons also received a silver medal in the Best Bitters category for its new Silver Adder ale, introduced last year to mark its 25th anniversary, and a bronze in the Milds category for Micawber Mild.

Brewery owner Steve Sims said of Black Adder's success: “This is the fourth award this premium bottled beer has won in recent years and we look forward to representing the region in the finals in March.”

There was also success at the event - held at the Elgood & Sons brewery in Wisbech - for Nethergate, based at Pentlow, near Sudbury, which took bronze in the Bitters category with its 3.9 ale.

The overall regional championship went to the winner of the Porters, Strong Milds, Old Ales and Stouts category, Black Hole Porter, brewed by Peterborough-based Oakham Ales.

The winners of all eight categories will go forward to the society's national competition, the winners in which will be announced at its annual brewing conference, being held at York in March.