Celebrations are under way after a Maldon brewery was voted much more than just "ale-right"

Cheers - John Boyce with a pint of his winning ale Picture: ROB SAMBROOK

The Mighty Oak Brewing Company, in West Station Yard, Spital Road, has received the rare accolade of coming both first and second in the Best Real Ale in Essex contest.

The brewery's Burntwood Bitter was voted the top beer in the county by members of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), and its Maldon Gold came second.

Brewery director John Boyce said: "It is very rare for the top two beers in the finals to come from the same brewery and it is a great honour for our two best-selling beers to be competing against each other for the title as Essex Beer of the Year 2004."

Having won the top slot, Burntwood Bitter will now be judged against beers from each of the counties in East Anglia to decide which will be crowned East Anglian Beer of the Year, a title which the ale has scooped before, in 1999.

Published Wednesday June 9, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette