TEST Valley’s newest micro-brewery celebrated its first birthday by winning an award.

Test Brewing, based near Stockbridge, won the award for Beer of the Festival at Hampshire’s Oktoberfest 2018.

The winning beer, Dun Stout, is a traditional chocolate stout, which was specially brewed for Christmas after a successful pilot brew last winter.

The award was voted for by attendees of Oktoberfest and was presented to Test Brewing by the North Hampshire branch of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) at the brewery on November 30, which was also attended by the brewery’s local MP, Caroline Nokes.

Now in its 10th year, Hampshire’s Oktoberfest 2018 took place at Basingstoke Cricket Club and showcased nearly 200 beers.

Beth Deacon, Test Brewing’s general manager, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that Dun Stout has won Beer of the Festival at Hampshire’s Oktoberfest 2018.

"People have been asking us all year to brew it again so we knew it was tasty but to be given such an award has blown us away. We’re really only just starting out but we have been really encouraged by all the local support and positive feedback and plan more beers in 2019.”

Brenda Cross, chair of North Hampshire CAMRA said: “This is a great achievement for a new brewery. I understand this is Test Brewing’s first award for any beer so it is great to be able to present them this for Dun Stout winning the ‘Beer of the Festival 2018’.”

Test Brewing started production in late October 2017. Its first year has seen three regular beers produced; Wallop Gold, Anton Bitter and Dun Stout. They are all named after tributaries of the River Test and are sold on draught in local pubs and in bottles in a wide range of Test Valley shops.