St Austell Brewery is celebrating after one of its most popular ales – Proper Job IPA – scooped an award at the UK’s most prestigious real ale festival.

Proper Job was awarded a silver medal in the ‘Golden Ales’ category of the Champion Beer of Britain competition at the Great British Beer Festival, held at Earls Court in London. St Austell Brewery was only South West brewery to scoop an award at the event, which is the flagship national beer festival for the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA).

The success comes just days after Head Brewer Roger Ryman was named the Institute of Brewing and Distilling Brewer of the Year at the All Parliamentary Beer Group Dinner and follows the Brewery being named Regional Brewery of the Year in the Publican Awards.

Marc Bishop, St Austell Brewery Trade Marketing Manager, said: “We were up against some great beers from right across the UK so to win a silver medal is an achievement we’re really proud of.

“It continues a fantastic run of success for the Brewery and our ales and is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our Head Brewer Roger Ryman and the entire brewing team.”

Proper Job IPA was launched in 2006 and in three years has proved hugely popular by becoming St Austell Brewery’s second-biggest selling beer after the Brewery’s flagship Tribute Ale. Roger Ryman said the inspiration for Proper Job was the India Pale Ales of the 19th Century, which were strong, robust, well-hopped beers brewed specially for shipment to the colonies, including India.

It is available on draught in selected St Austell Brewery Pubs and free houses and in bottles in local Asda and Spar stores.

St Austell Brewery’s beers have enjoying huge success with highlights in just the last 12 months including:

• Sales of Tribute rising for the eighth successive year and Tribute’s making it into the coveted top ten of the UK’s premium cask ales based on sales volumes in Britain’s pubs
• A national deal with Waitrose for Tribute to be sold in selected larger stores across the country – existing national listings for Tribute with Asda and Sainsbury as well as being sold across the South West in Tesco, Co-op, Spar and Thresher stores
• Admiral’s Ale being voted the best packaged beer in the world at the International Beer Challenge
• Admiral’s Ale securing a national listing with Sainsbury’s, in addition to existing regional listings with Asda and Waitrose.
• St Austell Brewery was selected by Marks and Spencer to brew a new beer – Cornish IPA – to be sold in its stores and the ale has gone on to become the bestselling of its new range of regional beers.