A local brewery has won an award from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in recognition of the quality of its beers.
Hop Back Brewery was founded in Salisbury’s Wyndham Arms in 1987. Now based in Downton, it is the only brewery in the Wessex region to receive one of the awards marking the 50th anniversary of the start of CAMRA’s campaign to support real ale and local pubs.
John Gilbert, founder and chairman of Hop Back, and colleagues from the brewery, were given the award certificate by Ian Turner, chairman of the Salisbury & South Wiltshire branch of CAMRA, at a celebration at the Wyndham Arms.
“I am really overwhelmed by this award,” said John. “We are very honoured to have got this. Not long after we first started in 1987 CAMRA awarded us the prize for the best new beer in Britain and so this latest award is a recognition of the long relationship between ourselves and CAMRA.”
Ian said: “I started drinking in the Wyndham Arms, then the brewery, in 1988, very soon after it opened as a Hop Back pub. John and his brewing staff have never lost focus and their ales remain traditionally brewed and served. It is no surprise that Hop Back ales are available in so many local pubs. From their excellent session ale, GFB, to their flagship and multi award-winning Summer Lightning, this award is richly-deserved and I am delighted to present it to Hop Back Brewery.”
Hop Back’s beers were achieving recognition at CAMRA festivals soon after brewing began at the Wyndham Arms, and in 1991 a second pub, the Waterloo Arms in Southampton, was purchased. Steadily increasing demand meant that by 1991 brewing at the Wyndham Arms reached full capacity. To cope with the increase, Hop Back Brewery Limited was formed and a factory unit at Downton leased to become the new brewery.
Hop Back now has nine pubs and its beers are available in many others. But the Wyndham Arms, run by landlady Lisa Saberton for the past 12 years, remains the brewery’s spiritual home. It has been voted Pub of the Year four times in the past decade by Salisbury & South Wiltshire branch of CAMRA. Lisa was one of the Hop Back team who received the Golden Award, with brewery director Steve Wright.
The Golden Award certificate reads: “In recognition of being a multiple national award winner and going above and beyond in delivering brewing excellence over the years.”
Just 50 recipients across the whole of the UK, including breweries, pubs, clubs and individuals, have received the award from CAMRA.