The Deuchars IPA success story ­ last year's winner

It's been a fantastic 12 months for brewer Caledonian as a result of winning the supreme champion's medal at last year's GBBF with Deuchars IPA.

Managing director Stephen Crawley says it was a massive morale boost for the 33-strong company.

"Deuchars has gone from strength to strength, it's been tremendous.

The quality of the beer is consistent and we have had to up production to meet the increased demand.

We've been blowing our own trumpet and that of cask ale as a whole.

"Winning the award opened up new doors for us and we walked on through ­ volume is up by between 60% and 70% on last year."

Distribution has been increased in Scotland and England on the back of the award ­ hitting 400 to 500 outlets because new drinkers were trying it, liking it and wanting more.

As the word got around, more licensees wanted it and not just as a guest beer, but as a regular on their bar.

Director of marketing David Brown adds: "The throughput is extremely good, cask ale isn't something that you want hanging around for days in the cellar.

Bars take it in on the Friday and it's gone by the Sunday, and that's good."

Caledonian has invested heavily over the past year.

Not a single keg was left in the brewery, so it rented and bought thousands more to meet demand.

"It generated such awareness and trial of the product, and we had the quality and consistency and after-sales service to back it up and sustain the interest," says Brown.

He adds that, under new brewer Dr Robert Burton (formerly Mansfield's head brewer), Deuchars has been consistently good quality, can now be found in Hogs Head bars around the country and is popular in Yorkshire, Newcastle, the Midlands and London.

It is even proving popular with lager drinkers.

Brown says: "Winning the award has helped us breathe some life back into the cask-ale market in Scotland and England.

It needed a bit of sparkle and I would like to think we have helped the image of the sector over the past year.