With the Olympic Games in full swing in Rio, three Suffolk breweries are celebrating medal success of their own in the 2016 International Beer Challenge.

Southwold-based Adnams has picked up a total of seven medals, including silver for its flagship Southwold Bitter and for Suffolk Bitter, contract brewed by the company for Marks & Spencer.

There were also bronze medals for Adnams Ease Up IPA and Mosaic Pale Ale, both part of its Jack Brand range of craft beers, and for three more beers brewed for M&S, Southwold Summer IPA, Southwold Winter IPA and Southwold Christmas Ale.

Emma Hibbert, marketing director at Adnams, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised in the International Beer Challenge awards.

“In an ever growing and changing beer market, we’re proud to see old favourites such as Southwold Bitter winning medals alongside some of our newer Jack Brand craft beers.”

And she added: “Speaking of medals, we were also very pleased to have picked up a bronze medal at CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain Awards for Ghost Ship, held in London this week.”

Greene King has collected a total of six medals in this year’s International Beer Challenge, including silver for Old Golden Hen and London Glory, both produced at its brewery in Bury St Edmunds.

There was also silver for Wee Heavy and bronze for Scottish Oat Stout and Inter Galactic Dry Hop Lager, all brewed by the group’s Scottish arm, Belhaven, in Dunbar.

And, away from the tasting awards, Greene King claimed gold in the design and packaging section of the challenge for the relaunch of its flagship Greene King IPA.

Chris Houlton, managing director of brewing and brands at Greene King, said: “We are extremely proud to have been recognised by the International Beer Challenge as a British leader in quality, taste and innovation. These wins are a testament to the craftsmanship of our brewers and to the talent of our teams who brought to life the new design for Greene King IPA.”

St Peter’s Brewery, based at St Peter South Elmham, near Bungay, received four tasting medals, including silver for its Cream Stout and Black IPA and bronze for its Organic Ale and Dark G-Free (gluten free) beer.

The company also picked up a bronze award in the design and packaging section for Black IPA.

Steve Magnall, chief executive at St Peter’s, said: “I am really pleased that we continue to win awards for our beers, especially across such a diverse style from Cream Stout to Dark Gluten Free. This comes at a time when we are launching our Without, an alcohol free ale, so we have even more to celebrate.”

More than 700 beers from 30 countries were entered in this year’s International Beer Challenge, with a total off 55 gold medals, 141 silvers and 258 bronzes being awarded following “blind” tastings.

The gold medal winners will now be re-tasted to determine the champion beer of each style, from out of which an overall supreme champion will also be chosen, with the results due to be announced at a ceremony to be held in London on September 5.