Orkney beer wins top award

A beer from Orkney’s Highland Brewing Company has been proclaimed the best cask ale in Scotland.

The brewery picked up the ‘Champion Beer’ accolade for its Island Hopping product at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) Scotland Region Beer Competition 2013.

The brew first took gold in the standard bitters class before claiming the crown from some 80 ales entered into the event. Now Island Hopping will be judged on the UK national stage at the annual SIBA BeerX contest in Sheffield next March.

It is the Brewery’s second consecutive year of triumph at the Scottish contest – winning in 2012 with Pale Ale. The eight-year-old Swannay Brewery also took silver awards for both the Pale Ale in the premium bitters class, and Orkney Blast for premium strong bitters, while Scapa Special claimed bronze in the best bitters category.