The beer, a 6.5% ABV coffee porter brewed by Siren Craft Brew in Berkshire saw off competition from Mordue Brewery and Green Jack Brewery to take home the coveted prize of Supreme Champion Beer of Britain.
Siren Brewery captivated judges for the second time this year, having taken home silver in this year’s Champion Winter Beer of Britain competition at the Great British Beer Festival Winter back in February.
The final decision was made after a year of local tasting panels and regional heats in which the very best beers across the UK were invited to compete at the Great British Beer Festival. Final judging for the competition was held as the festival opened its doors to the public on 7 August.
'A great feeling'
Accepting the award, Darron Anley the brewery’s founder said: “It feels amazing to be honest. Cask is really important to us and I absolutely love it. Broken Dream is a great expression of that.”
“It’s not something we expected at all. We didn’t fully understand how the categories work so to be called up at the last minute like that is a great feeling.”
“It’s going to be a bit tricky for us to meet demand in the middle of the summer. We don’t currently have any plans to brew it until September.”
'Dangerously drinkable'
Nick Boley, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) national director responsible for the competition, says: "Congratulations to Siren Brewery for taking home the Champion Beer of Britain award with their Broken Dream Breakfast Stout - the highest beer accolade in the country. This is a distinctive, strong, well-balanced stout from an outstanding craft brewery. If there is any beer in the world that is dangerously drinkable, it’s this one!”
The silver winner this year went to Suffolk-based Green Jack’s Ripper (8.5% ABV), a strong barley wine, while the bronze award was taken by Tyne & Wear-based Mordue for their Workie Ticket (4.5% ABV).
All finalists across each category will be available to sample at the Great British Beer Festival taking place at London's Olympia this week, at which more than 50,000 people will have the chance to sample over a thousand different beers, ciders, perries, wines and gins under one roof.
The full results for Champion Beer of Britain were as follows:
