A CARDIGAN brewery can proudly raise a glass to itself for producing one of the top beers in the country after winning a prestigious award.

Mantle Brewery, based at the Pentood Industrial Estate in the town, has just added two more awards to its growing collection during the regional Society of Independent Brewers’ Association (SIBA) competition in Ludlow.

The brewery won gold in class for their cask porter Dark Heart, a rich, dark 5.2 per cent beer brewed with 100 per cent British hops. The same beer won the bronze award in the same category in the 2014 competition.

To add to this, their bottled 5 per cent lager, Hoodwinked won a silver award in its category to make it a double celebration.

The competition, held on Friday May 12 and featuring 170 cask beers and 132 bottled beers, is a significant event in the regional brewing calendar and the gold award ensures a passage to the national competition which will be held in Sheffield in March, 2018.

SIBA is the independent brewers’ trade association and it represents more than 800 breweries based in the UK.

Mantle Brewery started production in 2013 and has since achieved a growing presence in the area with a reputation for high-quality, flavoursome craft beers from its 3.8 per cent golden session ale Rock Steady to its 5.8 per cent strong amber ale Dis-Mantle.

The brewery’s Ian Kimber said: “A growing number of pubs, clubs, restaurants, shops and bars that stock real ales are starting to realise the benefits to stocking a local product. It’s a full flavoured, fresh product that supports the local economy.

“We were up against some fantastic beers and it was great to come away with a gold and silver award.”