HOBSONS Shropshire Stout launched earlier this year has got off to a flying start picking up an International Beer Award.

The smooth dark stout brewed by Cleobury Mortimer's Hobsons Brewery has been awarded a bronze medal at the 2015 International Beer Challenge.

This year's acclaimed International Beer Challenge 2015 awarded 48 gold medals, 122 silvers and 210 bronzes.

The competition received 630 beers from 30 counties and was judged by UK beer experts including retailers, importers, publicans, brewers, writers and flavour analysts, as well as highly experienced judges from continental Europe to give a comprehensive spread of tasting experience.

Brews were entered from such far-flung places as Cambodia, Brazil, South Africa and Japan. Each was tasted blind by the expert panel and medals were awarded to the exceptional entries.

"We are very pleased to receive such an acclaimed award for our new stout, credit to our brewers for creating a stand-out beer which impressed the judges against a strong line-up of 630 beers from around the world and proud to be showcasing a beer made in Shropshire and promoting the county to an international audience," said Hobsons marketing manager Kate Pearce.

Shropshire Stout is the latest beer to join the Hobsons family and was launched in March with a special big cat competition.

Hobsons home town of Cleobury Mortimer stands at the gateway to Shropshire and the beer carries the brewer's own interpretation of the county's mysterious cat symbol on its coat of arms.

Shropshire stout is a smooth easy-drinking stout with underlying liquorice notes, pours a dark brown to black opaque, with aromas of roasted malts, toffee and liquorice.

The dark stout is brewed with Maris Otter malting barley sourced through a network of local growers and hop varieties Fuggles, Progress and Columbus.