Final six contenders for Champion Beer of Britain revealed

Finalists for CAMRA’s top beer award crowned at Cambridge Beer Festival

CAMRA has named the top IPAs, milds, bitters, blonds, pales and golden beers in the UK, in an announcement that took place at Cambridge Beer Festival.

The winners in the six categories will join the finalists announced at the Great British Beer Festival Winter, and all 12 will battle it out to be crowned Champion Beer of Britain 2025. The overall winner will be announced at the Great British Beer Festival, NEC Birmingham, in August.

The winners in the six categories, with tasting notes provided by Champion Beer of Britain Judging Panel Organiser Christine Cryne, were:

Mild: Penzance, Mild (3.6%). Grainy malt coffee and chocolate dominates the taste with dried fruit notes.

Session Bitter: Butcombe, Butcombe Original (4%). Sweet tasting bitter with malt dominating over a trace of dark fruit.

Premium Bitter: Cairngorm, Wildcat (5.1%). Malt predominates but there is an underlying hop character through to the well-balanced aftertaste.

IPAs (English and New World): Elusive, Oregon Trail (5.8%). A bold and bitter classically styled west coast IPA.

Session Pale, Blond and Golden Ales: Track, Sonoma (3.8%) A well-balanced sweet, fruity beer with moderate bitterness and plenty of citrus hops.

Premium Pale, Blond and Golden Ales: Church End, Fallen Angel (5%). Sharp, full flavoured bitter with an edge of lemon.

CAMRA Awards Director, Gary Timmins, said:

“This was a fiercely fought battle, and the winners and category runners-up should be extremely proud of themselves. Champion Beer of Britain showcases the best of cask beer in the UK, with beers entered by CAMRA members and volunteer tasting panels before being judged using a ‘blind’ process, so it’s a truly independent competition.

“If you’re in the area, get yourself to Cambridge Beer Festival this week to try the winners before they run out. You won’t be disappointed!”

Notes to editors

Category winners

IPAs

Gold: Elusive - Oregon Trail

Silver: Castle Rock - Screech Owl

Bronze: South Hams - Sherman

Mild

Gold: Penzance - Mild

Silver: Five Kingdoms - McGregor’s Mild

Joint Bronze: Mr Winter’s - Fusioneer / Half Moon - Dark Masquerade

Premium Bitter

Gold: Cairngorm - Wildcat

Silver: Fuller’s - ESB

Bronze: Brains - Rev James Original

Premium Pale, Blond and Golden

Gold: Church End - Fallen Angel

Silver: Stone Henge - Danish Dynamite

Bronze: Big Lamp - Prince Bishop Ale

Session Bitter

Gold: Butcombe - Butcombe Original

Silver: Dancing Duck - 22

Bronze: RedWillow - Feckless

Session Pale, Blond and Golden

Gold: Track - Sonoma

Silver: Ossett - White Rat

Bronze: Arbor - Shangri La

About Cambridge Beer Festival and CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain award

Cambridge Beer Festival runs until Saturday 24 May, where the winning beers will be available while stocks last. More information, including tickets: cambridgebeerfestival.com

More information about the Champion Beer of Britain award:  camra.org.uk/awards/champion-beer-of-britain

More information about the Great British Beer Festival, including tickets: greatbritishbeerfestival.co.uk