Last updated 11:12, Saturday, 09 August 2008

A Cumbrian ale has narrowly been beaten to the title of best real ale beer in Britain.

Black Dog Freddy from Beckstones Brewery, near Millom was named best mild or dark bitter in the country at this week’s Champion Beer of Britain 2008 contest at the Great British Beer Festival.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) awarded the Best Beer title to Alton’s Pride from the Triple fff Brewery in Hampshire, just ahead of the Cumbrian brew.

But Beckstones brewer Dave Taylor is not bitter at missing out on the big prize.

He said: “It was good enough to be named champion mild but to get second overall...

“It’s cracking news, I’m absolutely gobsmacked.”

Beckstones Brewery is a one-man operation based at The Green, a village about four miles from Millom, below Black Combe.

It was started about five years ago by local lad Dave who enjoyed brewing at home for 30 years before he developed the brewery.

Dave’s beers are only available in the immediate locality in about 10 pubs.

But they have won a number of beer festival awards, including Beer of the Furness Festival for Bitta Clout, 2006 and Beer of the Festival at Liverpool for Leat, in 2005.

Black Dog Freddy’s (named after Dave’s own dog) is a 3.8 per cent mild.