Champion Winter Beer of Britain

The Champion Winter Beer of Britain is an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) at its annual Great British Beer Festival Winter. The award is similar to the Champion Beer of Britain which is presented at the Great British Beer Festival.

Qualification and judging

As for Champion Beer of Britain, 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 Winter. Category winners are then re-judged to determine the supreme champion — the Champion Winter Beer of Britain.

Categories

Beers are split into categories depending on their style or strength with Speciality ale categories joining in 2023 from the main Champion Beer of Britain competition.

Results

There were two National Winter Ales Festivals in 1997. The first one at the beginning of the year presented the 1996/7 awards and the other, at the end of the year, presented the 1997/8 awards. There was no festival in 1998, the next one being in January 1999.

Key
  • Blue background indicates beers that were named Supreme Champion after winning in their category.
  • Green background indicates beers that were named Supreme Winter Beer but not Supreme Champion.

Supreme Winter Beer of Britain category

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1996/7 Hambleton, Nightmare Branscombe Vale, Yo Ho Ho Theakston, Old Peculier
1997/8 Nethergate, Old Growler Shepherd Neame, Original Porter Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire)
1999 Dent, T'Owd Top Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire)
2000 Robinson's, Old Tom (Stockport) Theakstons, Old Peculier Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout
2001 Orkney, Skullsplitter Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild O'Hanlon's, Port Stout
2002 Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout Bath Ales, Festivity Robinsons, Old Tom
2003 Nethergate, Old Growler Gales, Festival Mild (London) Wentworth, Oatmeal Stout
2004 Moor, Old Freddy Walker Gales, Festival Mild (London) Shepherd Neame, Original Porter
2005 Robinsons, Old Tom Bath Ales, Festivity Woodforde's, Headcracker
2006 Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) Gales, Festival Mild (London) Goff's, Black Knight
2007 Green Jack, Ripper Fuller's, London Porter Orkney, Skullsplitter
2008 Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) Robinson's, Old Tom Hop Back, Entire Stout
2009 Oakham, Attila (Cambridgeshire) Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild
2010 Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Breconshire, Ramblers Ruin Acorn's, Gorlovka Imperial Stout
2011 Hop Back, Entire Stout Marble, Chocolate Dow Bridge, Praetorian Porter
2012 Driftwood, Alfie's Revenge (St Agnes, Cornwall) Cairngorm, Black Gold (Aviemore, Highlands) Coniston, No. 9 Barley Wine (Coniston, Cumbria)
2013 Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Bartrams Brewery, Comrade Bill
Bartram's EAISS [Egalitarian
Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout] (Suffolk) 		Kelburn Brewing, Dark Moor (East Renfrewshire)
2014 Dunham Massey, Porter (Greater Manchester) Cairngorm, Black Gold (Aviemore, Highlands) Exe Valley, Winter Glow (Devon)
2015 Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Purple Moose, Darkside of the Moose Dancing Duck, Dark Drake
2016 Marble, Chocolate Marble Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Plain Ales, Inncognito Stout
2017 Moor, Old Freddy Walker Sulwath Brewers, Black Galloway Magic Rock, Dark Arts
2018 Green Jack, Ripper Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout Cairngorm, Black Gold
2019 Lacons, Audit Ale Calverley's, Porter Harviestoun, Old Engine Oil
2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023 Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) [1] Robinsons Brewery, Old Tom (Cheshire) Dancing Duck’s, Dark Drake (Derbyshire)
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Old Ale category

  • 1991: Old Ales & Strong Milds
  • 1994–1995: Old Ales & Strong Ales
  • 1996 onwards: Old Ales & Strong Milds
Year Gold Silver Bronze
1991 Theakston, Old Peculier King & Barnes, Old Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild
1992 Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog (Norfolk) Theakston, Old Peculier Young's, Winter Warmer
1993 Sarah Hughes, Original Mild King & Barnes, Old Ale n/a
1994 Hadrian, Emperor Summerskill, Indiana Bones Young's, Winter Warmer
1995 Theakston, Old Peculier Orkney, Dark Island King & Barnes, Old
1996 No event was held this year
1997 Branscombe, Vale Yo Ho Ho Theakston, Old Peculier n/a
1998 Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire) Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild;
King & Barnes, Old Ale 		Gales, Festival Mild (London)
1999 Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire) n/a n/a
2000 Theakston, Old Peculier Gales, Festival Mild (London) n/a
2001 Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild Orkney, Dark Island n/a
2002 Bath Ales, Festivity Rudgate, Ruby Mild Beartown, Black Bear
2003 Gales, Festival Mild (London) Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog
2004 Gales, Festival Mild (London) n/a n/a
2005 Bath Ales, Festivity Gales, Festival Mild (London) Theakston, Old Peculier
2006 Gales, Festival Mild (London) Goff's, Black Knight Orkney, Dark Island
2007 B&T, Black Dragon Mild Orkney, Dark Island Rudgate, Ruby Mild
2008 Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose West Berkshire, Maggs Magnificent Mild Highland, Dark Monroe
2009 Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Bryncelyn, Buddy Marvellous Orkney, Dark Island;
Theakston, Old Peculier
2010 Breconshire, Ramblers Ruin Leeds, Midnight Bell Beartown, Black Bear
2011 Marble, Chocolate King's, Old Ale Beowulf's, Dark Raven
2012 Driftwood, Alfie's Revenge (Cornwall) Nant, Mwnci Nell (Conwy);
Brunswick, Black Sabbath (Derbyshire) 		Beowulf, Dark Raven (Staffordshire)
2013 Kelburn Brewing, Dark Moor (East Renfrewshire) Jennings, Sneck Lifter (Cumbria) Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose (Gwynedd)
2014 Exe Valley, Winter Glow (Devon) Beowulf, Dark Raven (Staffordshire) Grainstore, Rutland Beast (Rutland)
2015 Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose (Gwynedd) Ulverston, Fra Diavolio Castle Rock, Midnight Owl
2016 Old Dairy, Snow Top;
Marble, Chocolate 		Beowulf, Dark Raven;
Parmers, Tally Ho! 		Adnams, Old Ale;
Brampton, Mild
2017 Grainstore Brewery Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild Adnams, Old Ale
Old Dairy, Snow Top
2018 Tintagel, Excalibur Untapped, Ember Jennings, Sneck Lifter
2019 Tintagel, Excalibur [2] Harvey, Old Ale Brampton, Mild
2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023 Brampton, Mild [1] Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Great Corby, Fox Brown Ale
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Barley Wines category

Barley Wines category (1992-2014)

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1992 Gibbs Mew, Bishops Tipple Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) Lees, Moonraker (Manchester)
1993 Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) Marston's, Owd Rodger (Burton upon Trent) n/a
1994 Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Gibbs Mew, Bishops Tipple
1995 Cottage, Norman Conquest (Somerset) Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) Pilgrim, Conqueror
1996 No event was held this year
1997 McMullen's, Stronghart Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) n/a
1998 Lees, Moonraker (Manchester) Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Marston's, Owd Rodger (Burton upon Trent)
1999 Cottage, Norman's Conquest n/a n/a
2000 Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Burton Bridge, Old Expensive n/a
2001 Orkney, Skullsplitter (Orkney) Adnams, Tally Ho (Suffolk) n/a
2002 Big Lamp, Blackout Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Adnams, Tally Ho (Suffolk)
2003 Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) Harveys, Christmas Ale Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport)
2004 Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) n/a n/a
2005 Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset)
2006 Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) Isle of Skye, Cuillin Beast (Isle of Skye) Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport)
2007 Orkney, Skull Splitter (Orkney) Green Jack, Ripper (Suffolk) Durham, Benedictus
2008 Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Durham, Benedictus Mighty Oak, Saxon Song
2009 Oakham, Attila (Cambridgeshire) Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) Otley, O8
2010 Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Kinver Brewery, Over The Edge (Staffordshire) Otley, O8
2011 Holdens, Old Ale Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) Black Isle, Hibernator
2012 Coniston, No. 9 Barley Wine (Cumbria) Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) Isle of Skye, Cuillin Beast (Isle of Skye)
2013 Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) Heart of Wales Brewing, High as a Kite (Powys) Kinver Brewery, Over The Edge (Staffordshire)
2014 Kinver Brewery, Over the Edge (Staffordshire) Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) Green Jack, Ripple Tripel (Suffolk);
Highland, Orkney Porter (Orkney)
2015 Moved to Barley Wines and Strong Old Ales
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Barley Wine & Strong Old Ales category

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2015 Lees, Moonraker (Manchester) Orkney, Skullsplitter Darwin, Extinction Ale
2016 Tring, Death or Glory;
Darwin, Extinction Ale 		Orkney, Skull Splitter;
Moor, Old Freddy Walker 		Robinsons, Old Tom;
Broughton, Old Jock
2017 Moor, Old Freddy Walker Green Jack, Ripper, Tripel Orkney, Skull Splitter
2018 Green Jack, Ripper Boot, Beast Exmoor, Exmoor Beast
2019 Lacons, Audit Ale [2] Tring, Death or Glory Robinson, Old Tom
2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023 Robinsons, Old Tom [1] Exmoor, Beast Darwin, Extinction
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Stout & Porter category

Stout & Porter category (1991-2007)

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1991 Mauldons, Black Adder (Suffolk) Burton, Bridge Porter West Coast, Guiltless Stout
1992 Bateman, Salem Porter Malton, Pickwick Porter Reepham, Velvet Stout
1993 Coach House, Blunderbus Reepham, Velvet Stout n/a
1994 Coach House, Blunderbus Hambleton, Nightmare Porter Elgood's North Brink Porter (Cambridgeshire)
1995 Harveys, Porter RCH, Old Slug Porter Hop Back Entire Stout
1996 No event was held this year
1997 Hambleton, Nightmare Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) n/a
1998 Shepherd Neame Original Porter;
Nethergate, Old Growler 		Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) McGuinness, Tommy Todd's Porter
1999 Salopian, Ironbridge Stout n/a n/a
2000 Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout High Force, Cauldron Stout n/a
2001 O'Hanlon's, Port Stout Nethergate, Old Growler n/a
2002 Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout Ringwood, XXXXL Banks & Taylor, Edwin Taylor Extra Stout
2003 Nethergate, Old Growler Wentworth, Oatmeal Stout RCH, Old Slug Porter
2004 Shepherd Neame, Original Porter n/a n/a
2005 Bateman, Salem Porter Big Lamp, Summerhill Stout Spectrum, Old Stoatwobbler
2006 Bazen Knoll, Street Porter Fuller's, London Porter (London) Bath Ales, Festivity
2007 Fuller's, London Porter (London) Cairngorm, Black Gold St Peter's, Old Style Porter
2008 Separate awards for porters and stouts
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Porter category (2008-2019)

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2008 Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Acorn, Old Moor Porter
2009 Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Fullers, London Porter (London);
Townes, Pynot Porter 		n/a
2010 Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Sulwath, Black Galloway RCH, Old Slug Porter
2011 Dow Bridge's, Praetorian Porter Beowulf's Finns Hall Porter Red Squirrel's London Porter
2012 Hammerpot, Bottle Wreck Porter (West Sussex) Blythe, Johnson's (Staffordshire) Sulwath, Black Galloway (Dumfries and Galloway)
2013 Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Blythe Brewery, Johnson's (Staffordshire) Derby Brewery, Penny's Porter (Derbyshire)
2014 Dunham Massey, Dunham Porter (Greater Manchester) Ayr Brewery, Rabbie's Porter (Ayrshire) Batemans, Salem Porter (Lincolnshire)
2015 Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Bath Ales, Festivities;
Fuller's, London Porter (London) 		Blakemere, Deep Dark Secret
2016 Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire);
Facer's, North Star Porter 		Ayr, Rabbies Porter;
RCH, Old Slug Porter 		Red Fox, Black Fox Porter;
8 Sails, Victorian Porter
2017 Sulwath Brewers, Black Galloway Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter Tavy Ales, Tavy Porter
2018 Red Cat, Mr M's Porter Dunham Massey, Dunham Porter Grain, Slate
2019 Calverley, Porter [2] Harviestoun, Old Engine Oil Dancing Duck, Indian Porter
2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023 Categories changed to strengths
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Stout category (2008-2019)

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2008 Hop Back, Entire Stout (Wiltshire) Spitting Feathers, Old Wavertonian Spire, Sgt Pepper Stout
2009 Bristol Beer Factory, Milk Stout Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout Spire, Sgt Pepper Stout
2010 Acorn, Gorlovka Imperial Stout (South Yorkshire) Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout Wapping, Stout
2011 Hop Back, Entire Stout (Wiltshire) Hop Star's, Smokey Joes Black Beer Milton's, Nero
2012 Cairngorm, Black Gold (Aviemore) Cambridge Moonshine, Black Hole Stout (Cambridgeshire) Acorn, Gorlovka (South Yorkshire)
2013 Bartrams Brewery, Comrade Bill Bartram's EAISS [Egalitarian Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout] (Suffolk) Marble Beers, Stouter Stout (Greater Manchester) Hop Back, Entire Stout (Wiltshire)
2014 Cairngorm, Black Gold (Highlands, Scotland) Ascot Ales, Anastasia's Exile Stout (Surrey) Marble, Stouter Stout (Greater Manchester)
2015 Dancing Duck, Dark Drake Plain Ales, Incognito Highland, Sneeky Wee Orkney Stout
2016 Plain Ales, Inncognito Stout;
Wibblers, Crafty Stoat 		Cairngorm, Black Gold;
Thornbridge, St Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout 		Thornbridge, St Petersburg Russian Stout;
Cairngorm, Black Gold
2017 Magic Rock, Dark Arts London Brewing Company, 100 Oysters Stout Loch Lomond, Silkie Stout
2018 Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout Cairngorm, Black Gold Fixed Wheel, Blackheath Stout
2019 Plain Ales, Inncognito [2] Dark Star, Imperial Stout Cairngorm, Black Gold
2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2023 Categories changed to strengths
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Session Stouts and Porters category

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2023 Dancing Duck, Dark Drake [1] Thurston, Milk Stout Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Strong Stouts and Porters category

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2023 Elland, 1872 Porter [1] Fixed Wheel, Blackheath Stout Ashover, Milk Stout
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Speciality Beers

Speciality beers moved from Champion Beer of Britain festival category

Speciality, Differently Produced category

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2023 Chapter, Dead Man’s Fist [1] Black Hole, Milky Way Treens, Smoulder
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

Speciality, Flavoured category

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2023 Marble, Earl Grey IPA [1] Purple Moose, Elderflower Ale Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout
Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Elland's 1872 Porter named Champion Winter Beer at the Great British Beer Festival Winter". 16 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "CHAMPION BEER OF BRITAIN 2019 WINNERS". 7 August 2019.