A HAWKSHEAD Brewery beer has been named the best in the North West and will go on to a national final.

Windermere Pale, a 3.5 per cent hoppy beer brewed by the Staveley firm, has been named Champion Beer of the North West by the Campaign for Real Ale.

Camra announced the victory at the Liverpool Beer Festival.

The award now means that Windermere Pale will go on to represent the brewery at the Champion Beer of Britain finals due to be held in August.

Michelle Gay, a spokeswoman for the brewery, said: “We're incredibly proud that Windermere Pale has been announced Champion Beer in the North West and is now on route to the national awards.

“We know Windy Pale has a big following among beer drinkers up and down the country and believe this to be down to it being a low strength beer with bags of flavour, which we get from using an American hop called Citra giving the beer its fruity and floral characteristics.

She added: “We first brewed Windermere Pale in 2009 when we recognised there was a gap in the market for a low strength, pale, full-flavoured beer.

“Citra was new to the UK market and we were one of the first breweries in the country to use it.”

Since it was initially launched, the beer has received a number of awards from the Society of Independent Brewers and also won a silver medal at the International Brewing Awards, known as the “Oscars of the brewing industry”.

This latest accolade means that 2017 will be the seventh year in a row that Hawkshead Brewery has had a beer in the Champion Beer of Britain finals.

Hawkshead Brewery is celebrating its 15th birthday this year after being established in Hawkshead in July 2002.

Last year the brewery sold more than a million litres of beer with plans for further expansions.