Crouch Vale’s Amarillo has been named the best beer in Britain, 2024
The winner was exclusively revealed at Kelham Hall Beer and Cider Festival trade session in Newark, following a rigorous and hard-fought final round of judging. The long-standing CAMRA award is one of the most coveted and well-respected cask beer competitions in the world. Usually judging takes place at the annual Greet British Beer Festival, but that was cancelled this year due to issues with the regular venue Olympia in London. Next year, the festival moves to two halls of the NEC in Birmingham.
Champion Beer of Britain judging panel organiser Christine Cryne described the beer as having “a tangy aroma with a faint note of biscuit. The flavour is full of tropical and citrus notes on a sweet biscuit base. Dry sweetish bitter finish. A full flavoured beer.” She added that it was a “commendable winner, worthy of the respected title despite exceptionally strong competition.”
Judging for the competition takes two years to complete, starting with individual nominations from CAMRA members and tasting panel nominations, then regional competitions. Each round of judging uses a strict blind tasting policy.
Crouch Vale directors, Colin and Fiona Bocking said: “We are delighted. We have been doing this for half of our lives. We won in 2005, and we won in 2006, and there has been a 19-year hiatus. Hopefully, this will demonstrate to people that we are still around, and we are still making great beer. This is a beer that has been brewed for 30 years, at the time, when a lot of these very exciting American hops were coming on the market, we decided to use Amarillo hops from Washington State in the USA, and we are still using them today.”
2024 Champion Beer of Britain runners-up
Silver prize winner was The IPA (6% ABV) from Anspach & Hobday, which judges described as "A wonderful fruity new world IPA. Aromas of citrus and tropical that are also on the palette where the developing bitterness is perfectly balanced by the bitterness leading to a dry, spicy finish. Morish for a six per cent beer."
Bronze winner Trawlerboys Best Bitter (4.6% ABV) from Green Jack Brewery, was described by judges as being an “Attractive orangey brown beer with a honey biscuit nose. Sweet orange marmalade with nutty notes and slight hint of chocolate. Finish is fruity and sweet, becoming bitter and dry. Complex and very drinkable.”
Laura Emson, CAMRA’s Awards Director, said: "I would like to congratulate Crouch Vale for winning the 2024 Champion Beer of Britain award with their incredible golden ale, Amarillo. After many years of CAMRA holding this competition, The Champion Beer of Britain final is still one of the most exciting days for us as well as for all the brewers involved. Only two points separated first and second place. We’re hugely grateful to Kelham Hall Beer and Cider Festival for hosting this year’s judging and announcement, it’s a fantastic setting to celebrate fantastic beer.
"These awards cannot happen without the incredible work of volunteers that give up their time to see a worthy winner crowned. This process begins with CAMRA members nominating their favourite tipples and ends with a decision from a highly experienced and professional judging panel. Crouch Vale should be incredibly proud of this accolade, and I hope that beer lovers across the UK will seek out and try Amarillo out for themselves.”
All category winners:
MILD:
Gold – Penzance Brewing Co, Mild
Silver – Brains, Dark
Bronze – Five Kingdoms Brewery, McGregor’s Mild
SESSION BITTER:
Gold – Logan Beck Brewing, Proper Bitter
Silver – Mighty Oak Brewing Co, Captain Bob
Bronze – Windsor & Eton Brewery, Guardsman
PREMIUM BITTER:
Gold – Green Jack Brewery, Trawlerboys Best Bitter
Silver – Sharp’s Brewery, Sea Fury
Bronze – Cairngorm Brewery, Wildcat
IPAs:
Gold – Anspach & Hobday, The IPA
Silver – Byatt’s Brewery, Mahana IPA
Bronze – Bragdy Twt Lol, Dreigiau’r Diafol / Diablo Dragons
SESSION PALE, BLOND & GOLDEN ALES:
Gold – Loch Lomond Brewery, Southern Summit
Silver – Oakham Ales, Citra
Bronze – Bewdley Brewery, Sunshine
PREMIUM PALE, BLOND & GOLDEN ALES:
Gold – Crouch Vale Brewery, Amarillo
Silver – St Austell Brewery, Proper Job
Bronze – Swannay Brewery, Orkney IPA
WINTER ROUND WINNERS:
Stouts and Porters, Session: Lancaster Brewery, Lancaster Black
Stouts and Porters, Strong: Green Jack Brewery, Baltic Trader Export Stout
Speciality, Flavoured: Purple Moose Brewery, Elderflower Ale (Cwrw Ysagwen)
Barley Wines and Strong Old Ales: Sarah Hughes Brewery, Snowflake
