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Phil's brew takes prize
A WILLINGHAM landlord is over the moon after his homebrewed concoction netted him a top award.
Phil Troop, of the Half Moon Inn, decided to brew his own range of ales 20 months ago and was delighted to see his summer 2008 brew ‘Moonlight’ take the prize this year for Supreme Champion of the Peterbrough Festival.
Phil, who was only able to attend for the opening day of the festival on Tuesday 25th August, later found out his seasonal experiment took the award when prizewinners were announced on the Wednesday.
”I started brewing Moonlight last summertime because people were telling me they liked real ale that’s not too strong,” he said.
”It’s a refreshing summer drink with a citrus flavour.”
Moonlight saw off around 350 other rival brews at the contest, the second largest in the country after the Great British Beer Festival in Earl’s Court.
Among the competition, Phil’s brew saw off efforts from Bateman’s, Fuller’s and the legendary Black Sheep brewery.
Moonlight itself is one of eight ales served on a ‘four-on, four-off’ basis at the pub, alongside other moon-themed beers, including Darker Side of the Moon.
Pub patron Adrian Mumby, from Sturton, said the drink was a “cracking summer beer”.
’It’s a nice drink in the summer,” said Adrian, who travels from outside Willingham to sup at the Half Moon.
“This is a great pub – it has been my local for years. And now there’s an extra bonus for us regulars – Phil’s Moonlight brew!”
Willingham resident Simon Woodhead said the lightness of the ale meant it didn’t have many of the drawbacks of mainstream lager.
”It’s light, refreshing and it’s also something that you can have more than two or three of without a headache the next morning,” he said.
Obviously I couldn’t leave without sample the award-winning ale and can confirm it is exceedingly light – both in colour and substance – and has a lemony, citrus tang.
Unlike heavier, darker coloured ales a glass goes down very gently, and it’s very easy to imagine, as Mr Woodhead describes, getting through two or three without feeling the effects.
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Weather for Gainsborough
Saturday 04 February 2012
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