Champion Beer of Britain

The Champion Beer of Britain (also known as CBOB) is an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

The Campaign for Real Ale is an independent voluntary consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aims are promoting real ale, real cider and the traditional British pub...

(CAMRA), at their annual Great British Beer Festival

Great British Beer Festival

The Great British Beer Festival is a yearly beer festival organised by the Campaign for Real Ale . It presents a selection of cask ales and other alcoholic drinks from the UK and beyond. The festival is also home to the Champion Beer of Britain awards...

in early August. Beers can qualify in three ways:

CAMRA tasting panels judge the beers in their geographic area of the UK. The recommendations of these panels are put forward to 6 regional panels, with the winners of these qualifying for the finals in August.
Votes from CAMRA members via a form in What's Brewing, the CAMRA newsletter.
Winning one of the 150 Beer Of The Festival awards from CAMRA beer festivals held throughout the year

Nominated beers are then grouped into categories and go through several rounds of blind tasting at the Great British Beer Festival. Category winners are then re-judged to determine the supreme champion - the Champion Beer Of Britain.

Name changes

The Old Ales & Barley Wines category has been renamed over the years. The award was first presented in 1991. In 1992 the category was split into two - Old Ales and Barley Wines. The new Old Ales category was renamed in 1993 to Old Ales & Strong Milds, changed again to Old Ales & Strong Ales in 1994, finally reverting to Old Ales & Strong Milds in 1996.

The Strong Ale category was changed in 1991 to Strong Bitter, with the Strong Milds joining the Old Ales category.

Winter ales

Since 1996 the Old Ales & Strong Milds, Barley Wines and Porters & Stouts have been judged as part of the Champion Winter Beer Of Britain

Champion Winter Beer Of Britain

The Champion Winter Beer Of Britain is an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale , at their annual National Winter Ales Festival in January. The award is similar to the Champion Beer Of Britain which is presented in August...

awards at the National Winter Ales Festival

National Winter Ales Festival

The National Winter Ales Festival is a yearly event organised by the Campaign for Real Ale . The purpose of the event is to showcase the best winter ales in the UK...

Current holders

The 2011 overall winners were

Champion Beer of Britain - Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde
Second - Marble, Chocolate
Third - Salopian, Shropshire Gold

The 2010 overall winners were

Champion Beer of Britain - Castle Rock
Castle Rock Brewery
Castle Rock Brewery was originally set up as a joint venture with Bramcote Brewery. Bramcote Brewery was wound up and a new company was set up, 50% owned by Tynemill and 50% owned by the previous owners of Bramcote Brewery, on a new site next to Tynemill’s pub, The Vat and Fiddle...

, Harvest Pale
Second - Timothy Taylor
Timothy Taylor Brewery
Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:...

, Landlord
Third - Surrey Hills, Hammer Mild

Previous holders

1978 - Thwaites
Thwaites Brewery
Thwaites Brewery is a regional brewery founded in 1807 by Daniel Thwaites in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. The firm still operates from its original town centre site. A variety of cask ales, draught beers, lagers and ciders are produced in Blackburn or imported from Europe by Thwaites. In 1999,...

Best Mild and Fuller's ESB (joint winners)
1979 - Fuller's London Pride
1980 - Thwaites
Thwaites Brewery
Thwaites Brewery is a regional brewery founded in 1807 by Daniel Thwaites in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. The firm still operates from its original town centre site. A variety of cask ales, draught beers, lagers and ciders are produced in Blackburn or imported from Europe by Thwaites. In 1999,...

Best Mild
1981 - Fuller's ESB
1982 - Timothy Taylor
Timothy Taylor Brewery
Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:...

Landlord
1983 - Timothy Taylor
Timothy Taylor
Timothy Taylor or Tim Taylor may refer to:* Timothy Taylor , British archaeologist* Timothy Taylor , British art dealer* Timothy Taylor , American economist and academic professor...

Landlord
1984 - No event was held this year
1985 - Fuller's ESB
1986 - Bateman
Batemans Brewery
Batemans Brewery is a British brewer of beer and ales based at Salem Bridge Brewery in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire. The company's full name is George Bateman and Son Ltd. Their slogan is "Good Honest Ales".-Early history:...

XXXB
1987 - Pitfield Dark Star
1988 - Ringwood
Ringwood Brewery
Ringwood Brewery is a small brewery situated on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, England near the Dorset border. It produces mainly cask ales and some bottled beers.The emblem for the brewery is a boar....

Old Thumper
1989 - Fuller's Chiswick Bitter

From 1990 onwards Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were made instead of just having an overall winner.

Year	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1990	Ind Coope Burton Ale	Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:... Landlord	Robinson's Robinson's Brewery Robinsons is a family run regional brewery founded in 1838 by William Robinson at the Unicorn Inn, Stockport, England. The company's brewery is called the Unicorn Brewery.... Old Tom
1991	Mauldon Black Adder	Fuller's Fuller, Smith and Turner Fuller's Brewery is a regional brewery founded in 1845 at the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London.It has an estate of over three hundred public houses.-History:... ESB	Brains Brains Brewery Brains is a regional brewery founded in 1882 in Cardiff, Wales by Samuel Arthur Brain. The company owns over 250 pubs across South Wales, Mid Wales, the West Country and particularly in Cardiff... Dark
1992	Woodforde's Woodforde’s Brewery Woodforde’s Brewery is a micro-brewery located in Slad Lane in the village of Woodbastwick, in the county of Norfolk. The brewery produced its first commercial brew in 1981 from original brewery in the village of Drayton north east of Norwich. In 1996 the brewery’s popular Wherry bitter became... Norfolk Nog	Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:... Landlord	Bateman Batemans Brewery Batemans Brewery is a British brewer of beer and ales based at Salem Bridge Brewery in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire. The company's full name is George Bateman and Son Ltd. Their slogan is "Good Honest Ales".-Early history:... Salem Porter
1993	Adnams Adnams Brewery Adnams PLC is a British regional brewery company founded in 1890 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. The earliest recorded brewing on the Adnams site was in 1396 by Johanna de Corby. The company produces cask ale and pasteurised bottled beers. Annual production is around... Extra	Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:... Best Bitter	Woodforde's Woodforde’s Brewery Woodforde’s Brewery is a micro-brewery located in Slad Lane in the village of Woodbastwick, in the county of Norfolk. The brewery produced its first commercial brew in 1981 from original brewery in the village of Drayton north east of Norwich. In 1996 the brewery’s popular Wherry bitter became... Headcracker
1994	Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:... Landlord	Coachhouse Blunderbuss	Woodforde's Woodforde’s Brewery Woodforde’s Brewery is a micro-brewery located in Slad Lane in the village of Woodbastwick, in the county of Norfolk. The brewery produced its first commercial brew in 1981 from original brewery in the village of Drayton north east of Norwich. In 1996 the brewery’s popular Wherry bitter became... Headcracker
1995	Cottage Norman's Conquest	Harveys Porter	Hadrian Centurion
1996	Woodforde's Woodforde’s Brewery Woodforde’s Brewery is a micro-brewery located in Slad Lane in the village of Woodbastwick, in the county of Norfolk. The brewery produced its first commercial brew in 1981 from original brewery in the village of Drayton north east of Norwich. In 1996 the brewery’s popular Wherry bitter became... Wherry Best Bitter	Cheriton Digger's Gold	Butterknowle Banner Bitter
1997	Mordue Workie Ticket	Bateman Batemans Brewery Batemans Brewery is a British brewer of beer and ales based at Salem Bridge Brewery in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire. The company's full name is George Bateman and Son Ltd. Their slogan is "Good Honest Ales".-Early history:... Dark Mild	Hobson's Best Bitter
1998	Coniston Bluebird Bitter	Mordue Radgie Gadgie	Moorhouse's Moorhouse's Brewery Moorhouse's is an independent brewery founded in 1865 by William Moorhouse in Burnley in Lancashire, UK as a producer of mineral waters and low alcohol beers known as hop bitters. It first produced cask ales in 1978.-History:... Black Cat
1999	Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:... Landlord	Oakham JHB (Jeffrey Hudson Jeffrey Hudson Jeffrey Hudson was an English court dwarf at the court of Queen Henrietta Maria. He was famous as the "Queen's dwarf" and "Lord Minimus", and was considered one of the "wonders of the age" because of his extreme but well-proportioned smallness... Bitter)	Caledonian Caledonian Brewery Caledonian Brewery is a Scottish brewery founded in 1869 in the Shandon area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The Caley, as it is known locally, is the only survivor of over 40 breweries that operated in Edinburgh during the 19th century, although a number of independent breweries have opened in recent... Deuchars IPA
2000	Moorhouse's Moorhouse's Brewery Moorhouse's is an independent brewery founded in 1865 by William Moorhouse in Burnley in Lancashire, UK as a producer of mineral waters and low alcohol beers known as hop bitters. It first produced cask ales in 1978.-History:... Black Cat	Hogsback Hogs Back Brewery Hogs Back Brewery is a brewery in Tongham, Surrey, England, and named after the nearby Hog's Back ridge. The brewery started in 1992 as a joint venture between two friends, Martin Zillwood-Hunt and Anthony Stanton-Precious... TEA	York Brewery York Brewery York Brewery opened in May 1996 in York, England using the disused brewery equipment of Lions Original Brews from Burnley and was the first brewery within the city walls for 40 years. In 2007, it expanded so to increase its output by 50 per cent... Yorkshire Terrier
2001	Oakham Jeffrey Hudson Bitter	Hop Back Hop Back Brewery Hop Back, one of England's award-winning small breweries, brewers of Summer Lightning, Crop Circle, G.F.B. and other beers was founded by John and Julie Gilbert. Beer was first brewed in 1986 at the Wyndham Arms in Salisbury, and moved to larger premises in Downton six years later... Summer Lightning	Brains Brains Brewery Brains is a regional brewery founded in 1882 in Cardiff, Wales by Samuel Arthur Brain. The company owns over 250 pubs across South Wales, Mid Wales, the West Country and particularly in Cardiff... Dark
2002	Caledonian Caledonian Brewery Caledonian Brewery is a Scottish brewery founded in 1869 in the Shandon area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The Caley, as it is known locally, is the only survivor of over 40 breweries that operated in Edinburgh during the 19th century, although a number of independent breweries have opened in recent... Deuchars IPA	RCH East Street Cream	Triple fff Triple fff The Triple fff Brewing Company Ltd is a small independent brewer of real ale based in Four Marks, Alton, Hampshire, England, founded in November 1997, and producing award-winning bitters, milds and stouts. They own two pubs, the Railway Arms in Alton and The White Lion in Aldershot.Triple fff... Moondance
2003	Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted	Brains Brains Brewery Brains is a regional brewery founded in 1882 in Cardiff, Wales by Samuel Arthur Brain. The company owns over 250 pubs across South Wales, Mid Wales, the West Country and particularly in Cardiff... Dark	Bazens' Black Pig
2004	Kelham Island Kelham Island Brewery The Kelham Island Brewery is an independent brewery based in Sheffield, England. The brewery currently owns one public house in Sheffield, the Fat Cat... Pale Rider	Greene King IPA	Hampshire Ironside
2005	Crouch Vale Crouch Vale Brewery The Crouch Vale Brewery is an independent brewery based in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, England. Its name is derived from its proximity to the River Crouch, and having been established in 1981, it is the oldest brewer in Essex, somewhat shockingly... Brewers Gold	Grainstore Rutland Panther	Woodforde's Woodforde’s Brewery Woodforde’s Brewery is a micro-brewery located in Slad Lane in the village of Woodbastwick, in the county of Norfolk. The brewery produced its first commercial brew in 1981 from original brewery in the village of Drayton north east of Norwich. In 1996 the brewery’s popular Wherry bitter became... Wherry
2006	Crouch Vale Crouch Vale Brewery The Crouch Vale Brewery is an independent brewery based in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, England. Its name is derived from its proximity to the River Crouch, and having been established in 1981, it is the oldest brewer in Essex, somewhat shockingly... Brewers Gold	Harveys Sussex Best Bitter	Triple fff Triple fff The Triple fff Brewing Company Ltd is a small independent brewer of real ale based in Four Marks, Alton, Hampshire, England, founded in November 1997, and producing award-winning bitters, milds and stouts. They own two pubs, the Railway Arms in Alton and The White Lion in Aldershot.Triple fff... Moondance
2007	Hobsons Mild	Mighty Oak Mighty Oak Brewery Mighty Oak Brewing Co Ltd is a small brewery located in the town of Maldon, Essex.Mighty Oak was founded by John Boyce in Brentwood in Essex in 1996... Maldon Gold	Green Jack Ripper
2008	Triple fff Triple fff The Triple fff Brewing Company Ltd is a small independent brewer of real ale based in Four Marks, Alton, Hampshire, England, founded in November 1997, and producing award-winning bitters, milds and stouts. They own two pubs, the Railway Arms in Alton and The White Lion in Aldershot.Triple fff... Alton's Pride	Beckstones Black Dog Freddy	Wickwar Wickwar Brewing Company The Wickwar Brewing Company is a brewery based in Wickwar, South Gloucestershire, England. It was founded by Ray Penny in 1990 as a microbrewery, using premises previously belonging to Arnold's Cooperage, cider brewers... Station Porter
2009	Rudgate Ruby Mild	Oakham Attila	West Berkshire West Berkshire Brewery The West Berkshire Brewery is a microbrewery in Yattendon, Berkshire, United Kingdom. Founded in 1995 by husband and wife Dave and Helen Maggs, the brewery grew out of its original brickworks shed in Frilsham and now brews exclusively in Yattendon at a rate of 80 barrels per week.- History :The... Dr Hexter's
2010	Castle Rock Castle Rock Brewery Castle Rock Brewery was originally set up as a joint venture with Bramcote Brewery. Bramcote Brewery was wound up and a new company was set up, 50% owned by Tynemill and 50% owned by the previous owners of Bramcote Brewery, on a new site next to Tynemill’s pub, The Vat and Fiddle... Harvest Pale	Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor Brewery Timothy Taylor is a regional brewery founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor. Originally based in Cook Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England they moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring, where they remain to this day.-Landlord:... Landlord	Surrey Hills Hammer Mild

Overall winners

Champion Beer of Britain - Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York, North Yorkshire)
Second - Oakham, Attila (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)
Third - West Berkshire, Dr Hexter's Healer (Thatcham, Berkshire)

Mild category

Gold - Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York, North Yorkshire)
Silver - Bank Top, Dark Mild (Bolton, Lancashire)
Bronze - Highland, Dark Munro (Birsay, Orkney)

Bitter category

Gold - Surrey Hills, Ranmore Ale (Guildford, Surrey)
Silver - Butcombe, Bitter (Bristol, Avon)
Joint Bronze - Humpty Dumpty, Little Sharpie (Reedham, Norfolk)
Joint Bronze - Triple fff, Alton's Pride (Alton, Hampshire)

Best Bitter category

Gold - Southport, Golden Sands (Southport, Merseyside)
Silver - Buntingford, Britannia (Royston, Hertfordshire)
Joint Bronze - Evan Evans, Cwrw (Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire)
Joint Bronze - Thornbridge, Lord Marples (Bakewell, Derbyshire)
Joint Bronze - Vale, VPA (Brill, Buckinghamshire)

Golden Ale category

Gold - Dark Star, American Pale Ale (Ansty, West Sussex)
Joint Silver - Adnams, Explorer (Southwold, Suffolk)
Joint Silver - St Austell, Proper Job (St Austell, Cornwall)

Strong Bitter category

Gold - West Berkshire, Dr Hexter's Healer (Thatcham, Berkshire)
Silver - Thornbridge, Kipling (Bakewell, Derbyshire)
Bronze - Grain, Tamarind IPA (Harleston, Norfolk)

Speciality Beer category

Gold - Nethergate, Umbel Magna (Pentlow, Essex)
Silver - Wentworth, Bumble Beer (Wentworth, South Yorkshire)
Bronze - Amber, Chocolate Orange Stout (Ripley, Derbyshire)

Bottled Beer of Britain

Gold - Titanic, Stout (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire)
Silver - Great Gable, Yewbarrow (Gosforth, Cumbria)
Bronze - White Shield Brewery, White Shield (Coors, Burton-on-Trent)

Champion Beer of Britain: Triple fff Alton's Pride (Hampshire):

Second: Beckstones Black Dog Freddy (Cumbria)

Third: Wickwar Station Porter (Gloucestershire)

Mild Category

Gold - Beckstones, Black Dog Freddy (Cumbria)
Silver - Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York)
Bronze - Rhymney, Dark (Merthyr Tydfil)

Bitter Category

Gold - Triple fff, Alton's Pride (Hampshire)
Silver - Lees, Bitter (Manchester) Joint
Bronze - Jarrow, Rivet Catcher (Tyne & Wear) and Surrey Hills, Ranmore Ale (Surrey)

Best Bitter Category

Gold - Skinner's, Betty Stogs
Betty Stogs
Betty Stogs was a Cornish woman in a folktale. She lived on moorland near Towednack. She had a six-month old baby but was lazy and dissipated. The neglected baby was cared for by the fairies, who returned it clean and laid upon a bed of moss....

(Cornwall)
Silver - Highland, Scapa Special (Orkney)
Bronze - Cairngorm, Nessies Monster Mash (Highlands) and Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire)

Strong Bitter Category

Gold - Thornbridge, Jaipur IPA (Derbyshire)
Silver - Fuller's, ESB (London)
Bronze - Highland, Orkney Blast (Orkney)

Golden Ale Category

Gold - Otley, O1 (Mid Glamorgan)
Silver - Loddon, Ferryman's Gold (Oxfordshire)
Bronze - Skinner's, Cornish Knocker Ale (Cornwall)

Speciality Beer Category

Gold - Otley, OGarden (Mid Glamorgan)
Silver - Wentworth, Bumble Beer (South Yorkshire)
Bronze - Nethergate, Umbel Magna (Essex)

Bottled-Conditioned Beers

Gold - Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout
Silver - Fullers, 1845
Bronze - Wells and Young's, Special London Ale