What happened at the Great British Beer Festival 2023?

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GBBF 2023: a round up of the event

With the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) 2023 having come to an end, take a look at The Morning Advertiser’s round-up to catch up on the week-long event.

The annual festival, which is run by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), took place from Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 August at Olympia in London, showcasing more than 700 different cask ales, craft beers, real ciders, perries and wines.

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Yorkshire-based Elland Brewery's 1872 Porter was crowned the golden Champion Beer of Britain.

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Announced on the first day of the festival, the presentation marked the return of the champion accolade, after a four-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Greene King’s Abbot Ale and Salopian’s Darwin’s Origin were awarded the silver and bronze Champion Beer of Britain titles respectively.

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Read more about the festival’s award winners here.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also made an appearance at Olympia on the Tuesday.

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The Morning Advertiser editor, Ed Bedington, caught up with CAMRA’s chief executive Tom Stainer to see what was on the agenda for the group moving forward.

Festivalgoers were entertained with a variety of musical acts across the week, including from Fulham Brass Band.

CAMRA East Bedfordshire branch vice chairman, Christopher Overman, explained the impact can, keg and cask can have on the same beer.

Breweries including Harvey's, Adnams, Thornbridge, Fyne Ayles and St Austell were in attendance.

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Attendees were given the opportunity to learn more about Perry.

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The Crusty Pie Company was one of several food venders.

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Industry experts and beer sommeliers participated in beer tastings throughout the week, including food pairings and an introduction to beer judging, while Anspach & Hobday and Oakham Ales were at the event’s Discovery Bar, which featured informal brewer and cider maker led tastings, including discussions on ingredients and techniques.

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