Breweries from across Suffolk and Essex have celebrated a string of medal successes in the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) eastern region awards.

Top honours for cask beers in Suffolk went to the Briarbank Brewing company whose Briar Cobnut won gold in the Standard Mild Ales and Brown Ales category and bronze in the overall regional championship.

Briarbank, based in Ipswich, also won silver in the Standard Mild Ales and Brown Ales category, with Dark Knight Mild, while Lowestoft-based Green Jack Brewing also claimed silver, in the Premium Bitters and Pale Ales category, with Trawlerboys.

In Essex, silver medals went to Braintree-based Bishop Nick with Embers (in the Standard Bitters and Pale Ales category), Maldon Brewing Company with Farmer’s Golden Boar (Strong Bitters and Pale Ales), and Nethergate, based at Pentlow, with Umbel Magna (Speciality Beers). Bishop Nick also claimed a bronze medal with Martyr IPA (Strong Bitters and Pale Ales).

Gold in the overall regional championship went to Grain Brewery, based at Alburgh, near Harleston in Norfolk, with its IPA , which also won the Premium Strong Beers category.

In the “Small Pack” section of the awards, for bottled and canned beers, there were gold medals for the Debenham-based Earl Soham Brewery, with Sir Roger’s Porter (Standard Mild Ales and Brown Ales), Green Jack with Baltic Trader (Premium Strong Beers), Mauldons, of Sudbury, with Blackadder Stout (Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds and Strong Brown Ales) and Calvors from Coddenham, near Needham Market, with its Amber Lager (Standard Lagers & Pilsners).

There were silver medals for Southwold-based Adnams with Tally Ho (Premium Strong Beers), St Peter’s Brewery from St Peter South Elmham, with Suffolk Gold (Premium Bitters and Pale Ales), Calvors with Dark Lager (Premium Lagers & Pilsners), Wibblers Brewery, from Chelmsford, with Apprentice (Standard Bitters and Pale Ales), and the Brentwood Brewing Company with Lumberjack (Strong Bitters & Pale Ales).

Bronze medals went to Nethergate with Old Growler (Porters, Stouts, Old Ales, Strong Milds and Strong Brown Ales), Bishop Nick with Martyr IPA (Strong Bitters & Pale Ales) and Green Jack with Flower Power (Speciality Beers).

Gold in the overall championship for small pack beers went to Elgood & Sons from Wisbech with QE Cherry Wheat, winner of the Speciality Beers category.