‘London Black’ Nitro Porter by Bermondsey-Based Brewery Anspach & Hobday Voted UK’s #1 Beer of 2025
- Guild Secretary
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
Tuesday 8th July 2025 - A nitro porter from independent craft brewer - Anspach & Hobday, based in Bermondsey in South London, has been voted the Number 1 British
Beer of 2025, in the Top 50 UK Beer Awards, by beer experts We Are Beer.
Climbing from fifth place last year to the top spot for 2025, Anspach & Hobday’s ‘London Black’ is described as “a creamy, smooth and truly sessionable nitro porter” - beating stiff competition from some of the UK’s best-loved beers from larger breweries, including 2024’s winner (DEYA’s ‘Steady Rolling Man’), which is down to third place in this year’s Top 50.
Paul Anspach, co-founder of Anspach & Hobday brewery comments, " The whole team is incredibly proud and grateful for this award. London Black is the lifeblood of Anspach & Hobday, and is a distillation of who we are as a brewery and a business. As our contribution to London's rich and diverse brewing scene, we are proud to be reaffirming Porter as the original beer of London. Thank you to the team at We Are Beer and all who voted for us this year, it means a great deal to us!"
The Top 50 UK Beer Awards - now in its second year - celebrates the best-selling, best made and most influential beers currently available in the UK, organised and curated by beer experts We Are Beer (who also run the annual London Craft Beer Festival - hosted at new venue Magazine London this July) and voted for by a panel of over 150 beer experts nationwide.
The top three beers for 2025 in the UK’s Top 50 Beer Awards are:
London Black, Anspach & Hobday
Landlord, Timothy Taylors
Steady Rolling Man, DEYA
BEER TRENDS
Reflecting recent trends and the changing habits of what Brits like to drink at the pub, there has been a continued old school cask resurgence, with high quality cask beer at the forefront - three of which made the top 10 - Landlord (#2), Five Points Best (#5) and St Austell Proper Job (#7).
Taproom culture continues to rise here in the UK - a US phenomenon that we are seeing more and more of over here in recent years.
Meanwhile, pub classics such as Harvey’s Best cask ale (#14) or the ubiquitous Camden Hells (#12), are those that resonate with the general public the most.
Fruit beers are also proving to be popular amongst beer drinkers, especially young drinkers. Blurring the lines between beers and other drinks, the likes of Jubel Peach (#15) and Vault City Triple Fruited Mango (#10) appear high in the Top 50.
*please see below for the full list of the Top 50 UK Beers of 2025
We are Beer are the organisers of the London Craft Beer Festival, set to take place on 18th and 19th July 2025 at Magazine London in Greenwich. With hundreds of beers to taste, music and entertainment and delicious food to enjoy, tickets and more information can be found by clicking this LINK.
Tasting notes on the Top 3 beers for 2025:
London Black, Anspach & Hobday
This nitro porter has quickly become a fan favourite with drinkers, buyers and the brewers themselves. As people look for sessionability alongside amazing flavour and quality, this beer has really captured the imagination. The resurgence of stout and popularity of Guinness have no doubt helped to drive its success.
Last year number 5
Landlord, Timothy Taylors
This iconic beer has experienced 3-fold growth since the pandemic, testament to its enduring quality and showing that when traditional cask is done well it’s a brilliant product, winning over newer beer drinkers and supporting pubs around the country.
Last year number 3
DEYA, Steady Rolling Man
Still winning taps around the country and turning people around the hazy, hoppy fruit forward beer. This 5.2% pale ale has been an important category driver.
Last year number 1
The full Top 50 UK Beers List for 2025:
(Brewer - Beer)
Anspach & Hobday - London Black
Timothy Taylor - Landlord
Deya - Steady Rolling Man
Lost & Grounded - Keller Pils
Five Points - Best
Northern Monk - Faith
St Austell - Proper Job
Siren - Lumina
Verdant - Lightbulb
Vault City - Triple Fruited Mango
Kernel - Table Beer
Camden Town - Hells
Beavertown - Neck Oil
Harvey’s - Sussex Best
Jubel - Peach
Pretty Decent - I could get better at T*sco for a quid
BrewDog - Hazy Jane
Tiny Rebel - Clwb Tropica
Thornbridge - Jaipur
Adnams - Ghost Ship
Pillars - Pilsner
Beak - Parade
Vocation - Love & Hate
Verdant - Putty
BrewDog - Wingman
Wiper & True - Tomorrow
Brixton - Reliance
Pressure - Drop Pale Fire
Track - Sonoma
Tennents - Lager
Utopian - Premium British Lager
Lucky Saint - Lager
Kirkstall - Three Swords
Wiper & True - Kaleidoscope
Signature - Roadie
Oakham - Citra
Cloudwater - Fresh
Sureshot - Milson
Braybrooke Keller - Lager
Polly’s Floret
Theakston’s - Old Peculier
Titanic - Plum Porter
Left Handed Giant - Pink Lemonade Radler
BrewDog - Punk IPA
Round Corner - Steeple Chase
New Bristol Brewery - Bristol Lager
Saint Monday - American Pale Ale
Duration Brewing - Turtles All The Way Down
Brew York - Juice Forsyth
Buxton Brewery - Axe Edge
ENDS
Distributed on behalf of We are Beer by Super Duper Comms. For more information please contact: paul@superdupercomms.com
Notes for Editors:
London Craft Beer Festival will take place on 18th and 19th July 2025 at Magazine London, Greenwich.
For further information on the visit londoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk
For more information please contact: paul@superdupercomms.com
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