North Norfolk brewer Moon Gazer is celebrating as its White Face, a 5 per cent pale ale, has been named the county’s top cask beer by local branches.

Described in the Good Beer Guide as “full-bodied with a rich tropical fruit aroma. Oranges in the taste mix well with a piquant hoppy bitterness”, the beer was praised by judges from CAMRA’s Norfolk Taste Panel. Chair Alan Edwards, said: “We have 47 Norfolk breweries producing almost 400 regular beers. 

“To win this award is a tremendous achievement and well deserved. The beer has won several CAMRA awards and is named, as several Moon Gazer beers are, after alternative names for hares.

“The pub and brewing industry are under severe pressure and CAMRA is committed to supporting pubs and breweries.

“One of the purposes of these awards is to make everyone aware of the tremendous variety and quality of beers available. We urge everyone to seek out these award-winning brews, and others besides, both for their own enjoyment and to support our local breweries and pubs.”

Second place was awarded to Little Sharpie, a 3.8 per cent session bitter brewed by the Humpty Dumpty brewery from Reedham. The beer is named after a class of locomotive on the Great Eastern railway.

Blackberry Porter, a 4 per cent speciality brew, from the S&P brewery of Horsford near Norwich and Fusioneer, a 3.6 per cent mild from Mr Winter’s of Norwich, were joint third.