Artefact Brewing, based in Ixworth, near Bury St Edmunds, scoops first national Gold Independent Beer Award

A micro brewery is celebrating after winning a top national award.

Artefact Brewing, based in Ixworth, near Bury St Edmunds, has scooped its first National Gold Independent Beer Award.

The Independent Beer Awards, run by the Society for Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), took place in Liverpool last week, showcasing the best beers in the UK from SIBA's nine competing regions.

Representing the East, Artefact had three beers in the national competition, after performing strongly in the regional competition, with four awards.

Artefact walked away with awards for all three of its national entries - winning two National Silver Awards and its first ever National Gold Award.

Artefact's 6.5 per cent Kveik Black IPA won Gold in the Keg Speciality IPA category.

Its 5.3 per cent Amplified Dark Mild and 9.8 per cent Barley Wine stood out for their quality after winning National Silver Awards in their bottled beer categories.

Artefact, a small independent microbrewery, brewing out of a converted shipping container in Ixworth; and is run by founders James Phillips and Kat Lawson-Phillips.

James is a self-taught homebrewer, encouraged by his wife, Kat, to follow his passion.

The small-batch microbrewery aims to produce high-quality craft beers, with an emphasis on speciality and seasonal releases.

James Phillips, head brewer and co-founder of Artefact, said: "We've had incredible luck in the SIBA awards to date, but have never won a National Gold Award before, which really was the hope for this year. It was really proud moment.

“The Kviek Black IPA is one of my earliest recipes and has previously won a National Bronze in bottle, but this is the first time I have entered the keg awards and think this beer is best when poured on keg.

"A Black IPA is quite an unusual style and this beer uses a Kviek yeast, from Norway, to give it extra body and subtle notes of orange.

“This beer has a complex, roasty base with subtle pine and citrus flavours from the hops. I've always really loved the beer, but it's definitely not for everyone.

“The Speciality IPA category is very varied and ours was the only Black IPA in the national competition, so it definitely stood out.

"Artefact really is a passion project, super small-scale and all about the quality of the beers, so to receive recognition in these awards, nationally as well as regionally, just blows me away and makes all the hard work more worthwhile.”

Artefact Brewing was established in 2020 and is based on Bridge Farm, Ixworth. It supplies a number of local pubs and restaurants, focusing on selling direct to customers at events and farmer's markets.

Since 2021, Artefact has won 14 SIBA Awards, five national and nine regional.

Its annual beer festival is held at its site in Ixworth, on between July 25 and 27.