A RETURN AFTER 33 YEARS!
Over the years, although quite a few beers from London have made it through to the finals of CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain competition (and have even picked up a medal in the category judging), not many have made it through to the Supreme Champion judging. The last time was in 1991 when Fuller’s ESB won the overall silver. 2024 has seen the end of that drought with Anspach & Hobday’s The IPA receiving Silver overall. It was however a close thing, with the beer beaten by just two points by Crouch Vale Amarillo from Essex. Trawler Boys from Green Jack (Norfolk) just pipped Scotland’s Loch Lomond’s Southern Summit to gain the Bronze, which was again a close call.
The new Champion Beer of Britain, Crouch Vale’s Amarillo (5% ABV) is described as having ‘a tangy aroma with a faint note of biscuit. The flavour is full of topical and citrus notes on a sweet biscuit base with a dry, sweetish bitter finish. A full flavoured beer’. Congratulations to Colin and Fiona Bocking, the directors and all at Crouch Vale.
Full information on the beers included in the judging can be found at https://cryneinyourbeer. All of them are worth looking out for because the Champion Beer of Britain is a tough competition in which to get to the finals, let alone win. The process starts with members’ votes and regional tasting panel recommendations. This is followed by regional judging panels and then the national finals, which take place in both the winter and summer. All tastings are conducted ‘blind’. To get a beer through to the national judging is a real accolade for the brewers concerned and we should all enjoy their efforts.
The results were announced on 23 October during the trade session at the Kelham Hall Beer and Cider Festival near Newark, Nottinghamshire. This venue replaced the Great British Beer Festival which could not be held this year. The competition will return to the GBBF next August, at its new home at the NEC in Birmingham.
CAMRA CHAMPION BOTTLED BEER OF BRITAIN
It wasn’t just the draught competition that was judged during October. CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Britain (CBBoB) was hosted by the Bohemia in North Finchley, alongside our Home Brewing Competition. CBBoB is often seen as a poor relation but, unlike the draught version, where the beers can be hard to find, these beers can usually easily be ordered to be enjoyed at home. With Christmas coming up, and many beer drinkers having a few beers at home, what could be better than to try these winning beers from independent breweries for yourself? Again, a full list of beers judged is available at https://cryneinyourbeer. You can also find details of the finalists in the London & South East CBBoB judging.
If you wish to see the results for the home brewing competition, see here. The winner will be brewing with the London Brewing Company, probably in the New Year. Many thanks to the Bohemia and the London Brewing Company for their hospitality.
Christine Cryne
The winners of both competitions are set out on the list below.
