Village Elder, brewed by the Cheriton Brewhouse has won this year's competition to find the best beer brewed in Hampshire. The Cheriton Brewhouse first brewed in 1993 and is located next to the Flower Pots pub in the village Cheriton, to the east of Winchester. Village Elder narrowly beat the winner for the last two years, Hole Hearted, brewed by Gosport's Oakleaf Brewery.

The winning beer, which also won the top prize in 2001, is a standard strength bitter with an abv of 3.8%. It is pale and flavoured with hops and elder flowers. Cheriton also claimed third place with Diggers Gold.

Village Elder has also won prizes at the Champion Beer of Britain awards and at many other beer festivals. The brewery won the first Champion Beer of Hampshire in 1998 with Pots Ale.

Judging took place on the Thursday evening of Southampton Beer Festival. The judging panel included experienced beer tasters from CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, including Kevin Travers, Chairman of the Hampshire beer tasting panel, and Steve Hoey, landlord of the South Western Arms, St Denys, whose pub was a finalist of CAMRA's National Pub of the Year competition in 2003.

As well as the champion, there are 89 other beers available at the 2004 Southampton Beer Festival, which started on Thursday and finishes on Saturday 5th June. Around 3,000 customers are expected to attend this year's event at Southampton Guildhall.

For further information ring the festival organiser, Rob Whatley on 07985 194586. Cheriton Brewhouse can be contacted on 01962 771166.