Just months after the revival of Cains Brewery in Liverpool the venture has won a top award for its beer. Tony McDonough reports

Cains Brewery has scooped a top accolade for its beer just months after the iconic brand was relaunched.

Based out of Stanhope Street in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, Cains has won Gold in the Cask British Beer (up to 4.4%) category at the SIBA NW Independent Beer Awards. They took place at The University of Bolton Stadium

Cains Bitter is described as a dark and full-bodied beer which is refreshing and smooth. The flavours of the premium malt and hops deliver a superbly balanced product.

Roy Allkin, chairman of SIBA, said: “Judges had a tough job separating the pack as the standard was extremely high once again. Lucky beer festival attendees at the Independent Beer Awards were able to try this and other award-winning beers immediately after the competition.

“The winners from the SIBA competition are officially the best independent craft beers in the Northwest region, something brewers should be extremely proud of.”

The awards judge a huge range of beers across a number of styles in separate cask and keg competitions. As the awards are judged mostly by brewers, industry experts and beer journalists the SIBA Independent Beer Awards are very much seen as the prestigious ‘Brewers’ choice Awards’ by the industry. 

Robert Cain first brewed the famous ale back in 1858 at what is now Cain’s Brewery Village. Attempts to breathe new life into the brewery in the early 2000s by entrepreneurs Sudarghara and Ajmail  Dusanj did not work out.

However, they transformed the site into Cains Brewery Village which is now home to multiple leisure venues. They include Irish bar Punch Tarmey’s and one of Europe’s biggest gaming arcades, ArCains, both operated by the Mikhail Hotels & Leisure Group.

And it is Mikhail, owned by Andrew Mikhail, that has revived the brewing of Cains beer on the Stanhope Street site this year. The multi-million pound investment has seen the facility spread across three floors, creating 40 jobs.

Head brewer and general manager Andy Hayes added: “Myself and my fellow brewers at Cains are delighted to receive this prestigious award. For this to come just four months after our first brew since the revival of Cains in June this year is just incredible.

“We have put our hearts and souls into bringing this famous brew back to life and we love what we have created. We used original recipes, the best quality hops and really did our research to bring the taste of Liverpool back where it belongs.”