Crouch Vale Brewery’s Amarillo took the title, after a rigorous and hard-fought final round of judging.
The award was announced today (Wednesday 23 October) during the trade session at Kelham Hall Beer and Cider Festival, at Kelham Hall, Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Tasting notes
Amarillo, which has a 5% ABV, was described by Champion Beer of Britain judging panel organised Christine Cryne 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.”
She stated it was a commendable winner, which was worthy of the title despite the exceptionally strong competition.
Directors of the Essex-based business, which was founded in 1981, Colin and Fiona Bocking said: “We are delighted. We have been doing this for half our lives.
“We won in 2005 and we won in 2006 and there has been a 19-year hiatus. Hopefully, this will demonstrate to people we are still around and we are still making great beer."
Beer history
They added: “This is a beer that has been brewed for 30 years at the time when a lot of these very exciting American hops were coming on the market, we decided to use Amarillo hops from Washington state in the USA and we are still using them today.”
Previously, the Champion Beer of Britain was announced at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival, is returning next summer (5 to 9 August 2025) at the NEC in Birmingham – this will be the first time it has been held in the West Midlands since 1983.
The competition will return to the Great British Beer Festival next year with the overall winers announced on the first day of the event.
Last year’s winner was Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter at the Great British Beer Festival at London’s Olympia.
All category winners:
Mild
Gold – Penzance Brewing Co, Mild
Silver – Brains, Dark
Bronze – Five Kingdoms Brewery, McGregor’s Mild
Session Bitter
Gold – Logan Beck Brewing, Proper Bitter
Silver – Mighty Oak Brewing Co, Captain Bob
Bronze – Windsor & Eton Brewery, Guardsman
Premium bitter
Gold – Green Jack Brewery, Trawlerboys Best Bitter
Silver – Sharp’s Brewery, Sea Fury
Bronze – Cairngorm Brewery, Wildcat
IPAs
Gold – Anspach & Hobday, The IPA
Silver – Byatt’s Brewery, Mahana IPA
Bronze – Bragdy Twt Lol, Dreigiau’r Diafol/Diablo Dragons
Session pale, blond and golden ales
Gold – Loch Loman Brewery, Southern Summit
Silver – Oakham Ales, Citra
Bronze – Bewdley Brewery, Sunshine
Premium Pale, blond and golden ales
Gold – Crouch Vale Brewery, Amarillo
Silver – St Austell Brewery, Proper Job
Bronze – Swannay Brewery, Orkney IPA
Winter round winners
Stouts and porters, session: Lancaster Brewery, Lancaster Black
Stouts and porters, strong: Green Jack Brewery Baltic Trader Export Stout
Specialist, flavoured: Purple Moose Brewery, Elderflower Ale (Cwrw Ysawen)
Barley wines and strong old ales: Sarah Hughes Brewery, Snowflake
