Homebrewers from all over the UK gathered at the Castle Hotel in Aberystwyth to see which beer would be crowned champion in a unique tournament.

Inspired by the FA Cup’s luck-of-the-draw nature of pitting opponents against each other, the tournament, organised by local homebrew company, Mashed, put a spin on usual homebrew competitions, which traditionally judge entries individually, based on the style of beer.

The tournament, held on 27 April, was judged by a total of 10 beer fans and experts, including landlords and staff from The Castle Hotel, Bottle & Barrel and The Ship & Castle in Aberystwyth, and members from CAMRA Bae Ceredigion.

While tasting 27 different homebrew beers might sound like the dream gig for a beer lover, the judges were forced to make hard decisions due to the high quality of beers in the competition.

“There were some excellent beers in this homebrewing tournament…and it was a pleasure for our members to help with the judging”, commented CAMRA Bae Ceredigion.

After five tense knock-out rounds the trophy and a £200 voucher from Mashed was won by David Clough from Cornwall with his Black IPA, Duke.

The CAMRA Bae Ceredigion judges considered Duke “a fantastic beer and a worthy winner”.

David, who had travelled from Penzance for the event, was surprised to clinch the trophy, saying: “I never expected to win, I just wanted to get through the first round. So progression was an exciting bonus.

“I’m planning ahead now for next year - the pressure's on, I suppose, to defend my crown! “Everybody was so friendly, despite the competition, it was a real pleasure.”

Mashed, who have recently opened a community homebrewing space on Bridge Street in Aberystwyth, and who publish a homebrewing magazine of the same name, is run by husband and wife team, Gareth Davies and Yohanna Best.

Gareth said: “We wanted to turn the traditional homebrew competition on its head and make it a more spectator-friendly occasion, as well as being a challenge for the homebrewers.

“The feedback we have received since the event has been incredible, and we’re excited that so many contestants came to Aberystwyth to see the tournament. The event wouldn’t have been possible without the support we’ve had from our community in Aberystwyth.”

Local homebrewers are encouraged to pre-register for next year’s tournament.

For those keen to learn how to make their own beer, Mashed offer homebrewing lessons and workshops in Aberystwyth. To find out more, visit https://www.darkfarm.co.uk/