The World Amateur Pork Pie Championships took place this weekend.

Following a successful inaugural event last year, The Grainstore and The Rutland Pork Pie Appreciation Society hosted the second iteration of the pie-lover event on Saturday.

On Saturday 29 July, as part of the local taproom's celebration of beer and music, Ale House Rocks, the pork pie competition crowned its winner.

Formed out of a mutual love of all things Pork Pie, The Rutland Pork Pie Appreciation Society meets regularly at The Grainstore Brewery, bringing together hand raised pies made by those attending each meet. Others just turn up to enjoy the pie, banter and beer.

The pork pies are hand raised and filled. Image credit: Nub News.

The group enjoy monthly meetings and social get togethers at The Grainstore Brewery on Oakham's Station Approach on a Sunday afternoon, where attendees can make a pork pie at home and bring it along to enjoy alongside like minded people - with a couple of award winning beers from the brewery team thrown in for good measure.

In 2022 they launched their World Amateur Pork Pie Championships at the popular brewery, and it certainly filled a niche, attracting pork pie makers from across the area and raising funds for the East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme (EMICS).

The competition once again supported EMICS, with all entrance fees and funds raised going to to the team of volunteer emergency doctors.

EMICS is a network of volunteer doctors with specialist training in pre-hospital emergency medicine who assist East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) at the scene of life threatening emergencies. EMICS doctors provide advanced specialist skills at the point of accident or injury, where they are needed most. 

The importance of the work they do in rural communities such as Rutland is particularly profound, which is why the team have decided to support them once again.

Last year's entries. Image credit: Vernon Stokes / The Grainstore Brewery.

The 2023 overall winner is Vince Howard - a firefighter with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Oakham Station who counts pie making as one of his hobbies.

His Stilton and pork filling, with pastry made with Grainstore beer, helped him emerge victorious this year.

Emma Dodson presented the overall prize sponsored by Moores Estate Agents, and over £2200 was raised for EMICS, including a donation from Ketton Hanson Cement.

The Grainstore Brewery and Tap. Image credit: The Grainstore.

Congratulations to Vince and the team following a successful event!