An award-winning Hornchurch pub lauded for its range of beers has now scooped a national cider prize.

The Hop Inn, which was recently recognised among the top 16 boozers in the country, has picked up another gong - the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) National Cider and Perry Pub of the Year Award.

The Hornchurch establishment fought off competition from across the country, with other finalists being The King’s Ditch in Tamworth, Pebbles Tavern in Watchet and the Queen’s Head in Allens Green, Herts.

Owners Phil Cooke and Alison Taffs, who launched the pub in 2019, said they were “absolutely thrilled” to win the award.

“The Hop Inn is small and fairly new, having opened in 2019 and going straight into a pandemic. The last few years have been tough, so to receive this accolade is quite amazing for us and our small team,” the pair said.

Romford Recorder: The Hop Inn was also recently named as one of the top 16 pubs in the countryThe Hop Inn was also recently named as one of the top 16 pubs in the country (Image: The Hop Inn)

Alison, who is a qualified cider pomellier and founder of the London Cider and Perry Club, added: “I know how good real cider and perry (cider made from rare perry pears) can be, and I want it to be viewed with the same enthusiasm and respect that we see across other drink categories.

“We have so many talented producers in this country who are creating things that are just extraordinary, and I love sharing these amazing drinks with our visitors.

“We only stock ‘whole juice’ ciders, with many large production ciders only managing 35 per cent juice and topped up with glucose syrups and concentrates, we often have our guests saying they didn’t think cider could taste this good.”

CAMRA’s competition co-ordinator, Sarah Newson, said: “It is a huge achievement for any pub or club to win such a major accolade. Its success is a testament to the hard work and dedication that Alison has put in towards bringing cider to the table.

“The Hop Inn was chosen by judges not only because the staff were very knowledgeable about real cider and perry, but also because they felt like regulars upon entering.

“With an incredibly warm welcome and a large range of real ciders and perries served at top quality and temperature, The Hop Inn really was the clear winner in this competition.”