Cheers! Black Country brothers' beer bags top billing at festival blind tasting
A beer made by a Black Country brewery has landed a regional award less than three years after it was launched.
The 5.4 per cent strength King Korvak's Saga, porter, which is brewed by brothers James and Thomas Fownes at the Fownes Brewing Company in Upper Gornal won the West Midlands Campaign for Real Ale porter competition.
Blind tasting of the six finalists took place at the Bromsgrove Beer Festival on Thursday.
King Korvak's Saga now goes through to the overall West Midlands beer of the year judging, which will take place at Dudley Winter Ales Fair being held at Dudley Town Hall on November 26.
"Winning a regional award is a huge achievement for such a small brewery." said James. of The Ridgeway, Sedgley. It was not King Korvak's first award. It was voted beer of the festival by the public at the 2014 Wolverhampton and 2013 Stafford Campaign for Real Ale beer festivals.
Porter is a dark style of beer, made using roast malts and well hopped. Originally made popular in London, the name is thought to come from the beers popularity with street and river porters in the 18th century.
"Korvak is a very traditional porter, founded on a solid, complex malt base providing hints of roast coffee and chocolate, then rounded out with hops from the Herefordshire." said brewer Tom, of Wolverhampton.
The award-winning beer will be available to try at the brewery's own beer festival being held from July 10 to 12 to celebrate its third anniversary and Black Country Day.
It is being held at the back of The Jolly Crispin pub in Clarence Street where the brewery is based.
