CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer of Britain competition was judged at the Great British Beer Festival – Winter, held in Burton on Trent in February. The overall and category winners are listed below. Some 40 judges were involved over two days. They blind tasted and assessed around 50 beers that came from all over Britain and had previously been winners at regional level competitions. The beers were judged in six separate categories and the overall winners were chosen from the category winners by the final judging panel. Looking to represent all different beer lovers, the judges had a range of backgrounds, including trained CAMRA judges, brewers, beer writers and publicans.
Overall Winners
Winner: Sarah Hughes Brewery: Snowflake (8% ABV)
Joint Silver: Elland Brewery: 1872 Porter (6.5% ABV and
Muirhouse Brewery: Magnum Mild (4.5% ABV)
(no bronze)
Brown Ales, Red Ales, Old Ales and Strong Milds
Gold: Muirhouse Brewery: Magnum Mild
Silver: Windswept Brewing Co: Wolf (6% ABV)
Bronze: Tiny Rebel Brewing: Cwtch (4.6% ABV)
Session Stouts and Porters
Gold: Lancaster Brewery: Lancaster Black (4.5% ABV)
Silver: Church End Brewery: Stout Coffin (4.6% ABV)
Bronze: Cullercoats Brewery: Polly Donkin Oatmeal Stout (4.2% ABV)
Strong Stouts and Porters
Joint Gold: Elland Brewery: 1872 Porter and
Green Jack Brewery: Baltic Trader (10.5% ABV)
(no silver)
Bronze: Longdog Brewery: Lamplight Porter (5% ABV)
Barley Wines and Strong Ales
Gold: Sarah Hughes Brewery: Snowflake
Silver: Moor Beer Co: Old Freddy Walker (7.3% ABV)
Bronze: Green Jack Brewery: Ripper (8.5% ABV)
Speciality (Differently Produced)
Gold: Chapter Brewing: Dead Man’s Fist (5.5% ABV)
Silver: Cromarty Brewing: Red Rocker (5% ABV)
Bronze: Treen’s Brewery: Smoulder (4.8% ABV)
Speciality (Differently Flavoured)
Gold: Purple Moose Brewery: Cwrw Ysagwen
(Elderflower Ale): (4% ABV)
Silver: Cerne Abbas: Gurt Coconuts Rum Stout (7.2% ABV)
Bronze: Enville: Ginger Beer (4.6% ABV)
The category winners came from the North West (two) and one each from East Anglia, East Midlands, North East & Yorkshire, Wales and the West Midlands. Sadly, there was no success for London brewers. These beers will now go forward to the judging to find the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2024, which will take place later this year. Look out for further information in a future edition of London Drinker. If, in the meantime, you would like to read more about the regional winners, you can find the full list on my blog.