Experiments in Evil, a 10.5 per cent ABV imperial stout from Ampersand Brew Co of Diss, has won the inaugural Champion Canned Beer of Norfolk competition.

Described by the judges as “intense and complex, with hints of Tia Maria”, the beer is an eagerly anticipated annual winter brew. The brewery began in 2017 in a family barn and recently moved to a bespoke premises in Diss.

The competition is organised by the Tasting Panel of CAMRA’s Norfolk branches and is intended to highlight the quality of this growing form of real ale.

Panel chair Alan Edwards said: “Real ale now comes in many forms, cask, craft, bottle and can. We ran this competition after being asked by local breweries to promote their canned real ales.

“The judges were more than pleasantly surprised by the quality and choice.”

Runner up was Duration Brewing of West Acre with its Ebb and Flow, a 6.5 per cent American style stout. This was described as “smooth and complex with hints of dark fruit, vanilla and treacle”.

Ampersand gained a second award with its Camphillsner Lager, (5 per cent) taking third place. The judges considered this to be “crisp and hoppy with a meadow-fresh floral background”.