2023 Champion Beer of Britain unveiled
Announced on Tuesday 1 August, the presentation marked the return of the champion accolade, after a four-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
After 3 years we're proud to announce the Champion Beer of Britain Competition overall winners are:
— The Great British Beer Festival 2023 (@gbbf) August 1, 2023
Elland - 1872 Porter
Greene King - Abbot
Salopian - Darwin's Origin
You can find each beer and their locations on our Drinks List! #GBBF#CBOB
Elland Brewery sales and marketing director Scott Hutchinson said it felt “unreal” and “incredible” to win the award.
“I still don’t quite believe it, it’s a real shock. We won 10 years ago but it was a totally different crew and everybody has been through a lot of changes with lockdown and changes in the industry with everything that’s going on.
“Small breweries are struggling all over the country and we came here with the expectation to just have a nice day”, he added.
Evolved and adapted
Hutchinson said the beer’s brewer, Rob Thomas had only been in the industry for around a year but had demonstrated great innovation.
The winning recipe was described by the marketing and sales director as an “evolved and adapted” version of the firms original 20-year-old recipe. The brew has a 6.5% ABV, is part of the brewery's core range and is a deep ruby style.
Kickstarting the week-long festival, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also made an appearance at Olympia today.
Greene King’s Abbot Ale and Salopian’s Darwin’s Origin were awarded the silver and bronze Champion Beer of Britain titles respectively.
Abbot Ale, which is known for its rich fruity and malty character, also scooped a gold award in the Premium Bitters Category.
Greene King head of marketing for Abbot Ale Emma Hibbert said: “We are delighted to have secured these two titles for Abbot Ale, giving this beer the recognition it deserves.
"It is also a testament to the passion, care and knowledge of our brewers who continue to create this delicious beer for everyone to savour and we hope it will continue to be as much-loved long into the future.”
The annual festival, which is run by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), aims to showcase more than 700 different cask ales, craft beers, real ciders, perries and wines.
Event details
Industry experts and beer sommeliers will also be partaking in the “exclusive schedule” of beer tastings throughout the week, including food pairings and an introduction to beer judging.
Anspach & Hobday and Oakham Ales will also participate at the event’s Discovery Bar, which features informal brewer and cider maker led tastings, including discussions on ingredients and techniques.
Frigate Strong Mild, brewed by Patrick David, also saw success on the first day of the festival, winning the Homebrew Contribution award.
Now in its 46th year, the GBBF 2023 is taking place from Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 August inclusive at Olympia in Greater London.
