TWO Golds, one Silver and three Bronzes was the medal haul for Suffolk and Essex yesterday as the Campaign for Real Ale held its annual Champion Beer of Britain contest on day one of the Great British Beer Festival at Earl's Court in London.

TWO Golds, one Silver and three Bronzes was the medal haul for Suffolk and Essex yesterday as the Campaign for Real Ale held its annual Champion Beer of Britain contest on day one of the Great British Beer Festival at Earl's Court in London.

Nethergate, from Pentlow, near Clare, won Gold in the Speciality Beers category with its coriander-flavoured Umbel Magna and joint Bronze in the Best Bitter category with Suffolk County.

Mighty Oak, from Maldon, took Gold in the Golden Ale category with its Maldon Gold, which went on to take Silver in the judging for the overall Champion Beer of Britain - chosen from among the various category winners.

Green Jack, from Lowestoft, took Bronze in the overall contest (for which it qualified earlier in the year by taking Gold at CamRA's winter ale festival) and there was also a Bronze in the Speciality Beers category for St Peter's, from South Elmham, near Bungay, for its Grapefruit Ale.

However, the East of England missed out on overall Gold - won for the last two year's by Crouch Vale's Brewers Gold, brewed near Chelmsford - with the Champion Beer of Britain 2007 title going to the winner of the Mild category, Hobsons Mild, brewed by Hobsons Brewery in Shropshire.

Other category Gold winners included: Castle Rock Harvest Pale (Bitter), Purple Moose Glaslyn Ale (Best Bitter), York Centurion's Ghost (Strong Bitter), and O'Hanlon's Port Stout (Bottle Conditioned).