Sussex brewer Dark Star has been named the best in England by a US website.
The brewer, based in Ansty, near Haywards Heath, was given the accolade by real ale lovers' site ratebeer.com.
It was also named 84th best brewery in the world.
Paul Reed, director at Dark Star, said: "We were all very flattered and surprised when Ratebeer telephoned from the US just to congratulate us.
"We've always taken great pride in our beers and it's a delight to gain some recognition, although we're now being teased as 'only the 84th best'."
The Dark Star Brewing Company was created in 1994 in the cellar of the Evening Star pub, in Brighton, recently named Sussex Camra Pub of The Year 2005.
In 2001 the brewery relocated to a purpose-built brewery in Ansty from where it still supplies the Evening Star.
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