BEERS produced at three South Lakeland breweries have scooped silverware at craft-brewing awards as the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) announce the United Kingdom's best beers

The competition judges the very best beer from across the country in cask, keg and small pack (bottle and can), with the North West region taking home silverware in every category.

Barngates Brewery at Ambleside took home the region's only Gold award through its low strength Pale which is just 3.3 per cent ABV. But what it lacks in strength it makes up for in flavour and wowed the judges at the Beer X Festival, Sheffield, in the Champion Standard Bitters and Pale Ales category.

John Lloyd, the head brewer at Barngates Brewery, said: "We are absolutely delighted with this achievement. Any SIBA award represents industry recognition. Blind judging of both regional and national competitions are conducted by industry peers and trade sponsors. To receive Gold reflects a continuation of our high standards."

The Coniston Brewery's Infinity IPA (6 per cent ABV) won a Silver award in the Champion Premium Strong category while Hawkshead Brewery's Brodie’s Prime Export (8.5 per cent ABV) also got a Silver in the Champion Premium Strong Beers competition.

And the Settle Brewery Company picked up a Silver in the Standard Bitters and Pale Ales category with its Nine Standards No4 Amber Ale.

The overall competition champion was a beer called Southern Summit produced at the Loch Lomaond Brewery.

“I would like to congratulate the breweries from the North West region that have won at SIBA’s National Beer Awards, the pinnacle beer competition in the UK, and hope as many as people as possible from the region will seek out these fantastic beers," said SIBA spokesman Neil Walker. "SIBA believe that good beer comes in a variety of formats and it is fantastic to see that the region have taken home silverware in each of the three beer categories - cask, keg and bottled or canned craft beers.”