The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has announced the winners of its Homebrewer of the Year Competition. The final judging and announcement took place at The Bohemia in North Finchley, London on Wednesday 2 October, presented by Elusive Brewing’s Andy Parker.
Adam Waterson’s ‘Black Bob’ (4.7%), winner of the Session Stouts and Porters: up to including 4.9% category, was crowned the overall winner, and he will now be invited to brew his winning beer with the London Brewing Company with the support of the head brewer.
Adam Waterson said “I'm absolutely thrilled about the win as a relatively new homebrewer, as I started under two years ago this is quite something! ‘Black Bob’ has been a project I’ve been perfecting for the last nine months and represents a meld of flavours; balancing coffee and chocolate with some fruit undertones and finishing with a softness that makes you want to take another sip. I can't wait to experience brewing my own beer with the team at London Brewing Company on a commercial scale, it’s something I only had as a pipedream and an experience I hope to learn more brewing tricks from. I'm also glad this gives me the opportunity to share this beer with more people and hope they feel the same way too.”
The overall silver award went to Ian Benfell with his beer ‘Old Geoffers’ (6.3%), which won the Brown and Red Ales, Old Ales and Strong Milds: 4.1%-4.6% category, winning a free case of eight craft beers every month for a year, courtesy of competition sponsor BEER52.
Third prize was awarded to Tom Wright for his ‘Great Scot! – 80 Schilling’ (4.75%), a premium bitter, with Tom picking up four tickets to the Great British Beer Festival 2025 in Birmingham.
Judge and brewer Andy Parker said: “The standard was incredible this year, especially the beer that won, it really turned our heads as judges. We had four or five beers that really stood out in the final and they each won their category. Overall, the quality was just outstanding.”
Andy Parker is the owner and head brewer of Berkshire-based Elusive Brewing and champions the vibrant British homebrewing scene, where his love of beer and brewing developed. His new title The Modern Homebrewer, written with Jamil Zainasheff – a renowned homebrewer, author and beer judge – was recently published by CAMRA.
CAMRA Awards Director Laura Emson said: “It’s fantastic to see that the passion in the beer community runs all the way through from the people that love to brew, to those that want to celebrate and drink good beer, at a fantastic venue. CAMRA is very proud to be celebrating the brewers of tomorrow, a huge congratulations to all our winners.”
The Champion Homebrewer of the Year competition was sponsored by The Malt Miller, BEER52 and Brew At Home.
Notes to editors
Photo of Adam Waterson at his brew club venue, Bottle & Co in Barnsley.
The Modern Homebrewer by Andy Parker and Jamil Zainasheff: https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/the-modern-homebrewer/
The Great British Beer Festival 2025: https://greatbritishbeerfestival.co.uk/
Champion Homebrewer of the Year category winners:
Milds: up to and including 4% ABV
Gold: Russell Peters, Kathy's Mild (3.4%)
Joint Silver: Adam Waterson, Mild How You Go (3.5%) and Kev Warnes, More Brown Than Red
Bronze: Zach Graham Mildly Nostalgic (3.2%)
Session Bitters: up to and including 4.3% ABV
Gold: James Cross, Old Oak Common (4.2%)
Silver: Kev Warnes, Away Kit
Bronze: Christopher Bennett, Conisbrough Lad (3.8%)
Premium Bitters: 4.4% - 6.4% ABV
Gold: Tom Wright, Great Scot! - 80 Schilling (4.75%)
Silver: John Lee, Deep Harmony (5.5%)
Bronze: Ken Johnson, Rough Seas (5.5%)
Session Pale, Blond and Golden Ales: up to and including 4.3% ABV
Gold: Ian Benfell, Admiral Nelson (4%)
Silver: Simon Alcock, Nocora (4%)
Premium Pale, Blond and Golden Ales: 4.4% - 6.4% ABV
Gold: Arthur Olcot, Arf's Gold (5.4%)
Silver: Chris Cameron, Wee Fergus (5%)
Bronze: Les Manley, Pirate Pale (5%)
British & New World IPAs: 5.5% and above
Gold: Richard Roseblade, Black Magic (5.8%)
Silver: Stuart Hubbard, Lunar Eclipse (5.5%)
Bronze: Charles Tucker, Mosaic DIPA (8.1%)
Brown and Red Ales, Old Ales and Strong Milds: 4.1% - 6.4%
Gold: Ian Benfell, Old Geoffers (6.3%)
Silver: Joe Whittle Brown Bowze (4.7%)
Bronze: Steven Thompson, Northern Coalfields (4.7%)
Session Stouts and Porters: up to and including 4.9% ABV
Gold: Adam Waterson, Black Bob (4.7%)
Silver: Russell Peters, Alison's Stout (4.8%)
Bronze: Richard Roseblade, Muesli (4.8%)
Strong Stouts and Porters including Imperial Stouts and Baltic Porters: 5.0% ABV and above
Gold: Richard Taylor, Imppy 2 (9.2%)
Silver: Tim Hill, Burton's Stout Porter (5.4%)
Bronze: Matthew Perks, Rum Old Boy (5.5%)
Speciality Beers: Differently Produced or Flavoured
Gold: Josh Crowther, It Barley Touched The Sides (10.5%)
Silver: Tom Wright, Roc Legend - Heather Pilsner (7.74%)
Bronze: Tom Corry, Mrs Crimble's Imp (12.5%)
