After over a year of local tasting panels and regional heats leading up to the finals, the Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA, has announced that today Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch has been crowned the Best Beer in Britain at the Great British Beer Festival, Olympia, London.
The Newport brewed real ale was named the Supreme Champion over a host of other finalists in ten different beer categories (Bitters, Best Bitters, Strong Bitters, Golden Ales, Milds, the Speciality class and also the winter beer styles of Porter, Stouts, Barley Wines and Old Ales, and Strong Old Ales and Strong Milds), including beers from both small microbrewers and large regional brewers.
Nik Antona, Champion Beer of Britain Director, spoke in praise of today’s winner saying: “The Champion Beer of Britain title is the most coveted titles in British beer, for over 30 years brewers have put forward their real ale in the hope it will win and this year Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch is a very worthy winner of this prestigious award”
The man who brewed Cwtch – which is pronounced ‘cutch’ and means cuddle in Welsh –Head Brewer Gareth Williams said what it meant to win,
“I feel like I’m dreaming! This is the ultimate award to win in our eyes and after winning at the Great Welsh a few years ago this feels even better. It’s just a crazy feeling and we’re massively proud.”
Co-founder of the brewery Bradley Cummings, added this on the beer itself,
“We were brought up on real ale and we love traditional styles, Cwtch is our modern version of a traditional bitter, with extra hopping for a more pronounced bitterness and aroma. It’s new world and old world all in one.”
This year’s Silver went to Kelburn, Jaguar (Renfrewshire) whilst the Bronze award went to Dancing Duck, Dark Drake (Derby).
All three of the beers are available at the Great British Beer Festival this week.
Overall winners-
Gold – Tiny Rebel, Cwtch
Silver – Kelburn, Jaguar
Bronze – Dancing Duck, Dark Drake
Mild –
Gold – Williams Bros, Black
Silver – Rudgate, Ruby Mild
Bronze – Great Orme, Welsh Black
Bitter –
Gold – Pheasantry, Best Bitter
Silver – Acorn, Barnsley Bitter
Joint Bronze – Purple Moose, Madog’s Ale & Timothy Taylor, Boltmaker
Best Bitter-
Gold – Tiny Rebel, Cwtch
Silver – Highland, Scapa Special
Joint Bronze – Barngates, Tag Lag & Salopian, Darwin’s Origin
Golden Ale-
Gold – Kelburn, Jaguar
Silver – Adnams, Explorer
Bronze – Blue Monkey, Infinity
Strong Bitter-
Gold – Dark Star, Revelation
Silver – Salopian, Golden Thread
Bronze – Grain, India Pale Ale
Speciality Beer –
Gold – Titanic, Plum Porter
Joint Silver – Kissingate, Black Cherry Mild & Saltaire, Triple Chocolate
Bronze – Hanlons, Port Stout
Champion Winter Beer of Britain (from category winners announced in January 2015)-
Porter – Elland Brewery
Stout – Dancing Duck, Dark Drake
Barley Wines and Strong Old Ales – Lees, Moonraker
Old Ales and Strong Milds – Purple Moose
Champion Bottled Beer of Britain winners
(Sponsored by Beer Hawk)
Gold – Harveys, Imperial Extra Double Stout
Silver – Fyne Ales, Superior India Pale Ale
Bronze – Mordue, India Pale Ale
COPY ENDS
For further information-
CAMRA Great British Beer Festival Press Office, 020 7598 6522
Neil Walker, CAMRA Press Manager, 07939 425471
Notes to editors-
Tickets to the Great British Beer Festival are available from the official festival website www.gbbf.org.uk/tickets
Beer Hawk, sponsors of the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition, has put together a case of 15 beers made up of this year’s finalists, available at www.beerhawk.co.uk/cbbob
CAMRA Awards Lunch, Saturday 17th October 2015, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley 12-7pm
The CAMRA Awards Lunch is the premier consumer awards event for the brewing industry. Presentations include all category winners and Supreme Champion of CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain Competition as well as the Champion Cider and Perry award.
The event will offer guests the chance to catch up with friends and peers, sample a selection of this year’s Champion Beers and enjoy high quality food in a unique environment. Visit www.camra.org.uk/awards-lunch