A nano-brewery founded in a converted garage on the edge of the New Forest has won the Beer of the Festival vote at a beer and cider festival.

Knightwood Oak, a 5 per cent ABV chocolate porter produced by Paul Bartlett of the Dead Duck Brewery at Hale, near Downton, won the vote against competition from 29 other real ales at Summerfest, held by the Salisbury & South Wiltshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

CAMRA campaign to have quality real ale, cider and perry and thriving pubs in every community.

Brewer Paul Bartlett was visited by Salisbury & South Wiltshire CAMRA and presented with a winner's certificate by Andrew Hesketh.

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Paul said: “I thought that the brewery would never succeed so I gave it the name ‘Dead Duck’ as a joke.

“I am being proved wrong.”

Knightwood Oak is named after the largest and possibly oldest tree in the New Forest.

Andrew Hesketh (left), festivals co-ordinator for Salisbury & South Wilts CAMRA, presents Paul Bartlett with his winner’s certificate inside the tiny Dead Duck breweryAndrew Hesketh (left), festivals co-ordinator for Salisbury & South Wilts CAMRA, presents Paul Bartlett with his winner’s certificate inside the tiny Dead Duck brewery (Image: Salisbury & S. Wilts CAMRA)

Andrew Hesketh said: “Paul is an exceptionally talented brewer and our festival-goers, most of whom know a thing or two about beer, voted for this smooth chocolate porter by a considerable majority. We congratulate him”.

Paul, who teaches creative arts at the New Forest Academy in Hythe, began brewing 10 years ago when he lived in a London flat and was given a home brew kit as a Christmas present. He was determined to make each successive brew better until it became, as his wife Louise said: “a hobby that got out of control”.

Paul added: “I am blown away by winning this award".

When they moved to Hale to be nearer their respective families, the garage seemed the perfect building to convert into a small brewery using a two-barrel system.

He now brews a total of four beers and these are available at a number of pubs in the area, including The Horse and Groom in Woodgreen and the Royal Oak at Fritham. Paul sold out at a recent beer festival at The Cuckoo in Hamptworth.