FREEMINER Brewery's Gold Miner beer has been named as winner of the Best Gold Beer category in the Best Bottled Beer 2014 awards, held this week.

Judged by beer writer Gordon Tate, he was joined this year by Burton on Trent MP Andrew Griffiths, and two experts from the brewing industry, who remain anonymous, apart from the information that one is an ex head brewer, and the other a regional brand manager.

Gordon commented on the Freeminer Gold Miner taste: "A solid gold production from this fantastic craft brewery in the Forest of Dean, brewed exclusively for the Co-op, using British First Gold hops and meeting all their requirements for fair trade and quality.

"This is like sunshine in a bottle. Exploding with a fresh citrus hoppiness, combined with a buttery smoothness. The ideal beer to wallow away the Indian summer evenings we have been lucky enough to enjoy this year."

Don Burgess of Freeminer Brewery, based in Whimsey Road, Cinderford, told the Review: "This award is most gratefully received – it is really nice for a small bespoke craft brewers like Freeminer to be awarded accolades like this.

"It is great to be recognised in such a massive field of bottled beers, especially when we have to also meet the rules set out by the Co-op about complying with their Fairtrade policies."

The overall champion of champions beer was West Indies Porter, brewed in Dublin by Guinness