Another great time at the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival this year (2nd-6th August, Earls Court, London). Tried lots of tasty ales with some real stand out beers from Wye Valley (Hereford IPA, 4.0%), Harvey’s (Lewes Castle Brown Ale, 4.8%), Goacher’s (Real Mild Ale, 3.4%) and Castle Rock (Elsie Mo, 4.7%).
However, rather than the usual run down of the top 10 things I liked best from the festival this year I have complied my list of Champion beers from the previous festivals including my champion for 2011. Enjoy…
Pig’s Ear Supreme Champion Beers of GBBF
2011
Salopian Shropshire Gold
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
(ABV 3.8%)
A golden straw-coloured ale with spicy and citrus aromas, bitter-sweet and perfectly refreshing to taste with hints of lemon zest and grapefruit, a simply delightful golden ale
2010
Goacher’s Fine Light Ale
Maidstone, Kent
(ABV 3.7%)
A pale, golden brown bitter with a strong hoppy aroma and moderately malty aftertaste incredibly drinkable
2009
Hooky Bitter
Hook Norton, Oxfordshire
(ABV 3.6%)
A subtly balanced golden bitter, hoppy to the nose, malty to the palate the classic session beer, entirely drinkable
2008
Caledonian 80/
Edinburgh, Scotland
(ABV 4.1%)
A moreish complex copper-coloured scottish heavy with a lovely malty flavour balanced by fruit and hops with all the characteristics of a classic best bitter
2007
Brains SA Gold
Cardiff, Wales
(ABV 4.6%)
An excellent full-flavoured, hoppy and refreshing golden-coloured ale with complex hop flavours and vibrant citrus aromas
2006
St. Austell HSD
St. Austell, Cornwall
(ABV 5%)
An outstanding aromatic, fruity, hoppy bitter with a well-rounded flavour that is initially sweet with an aftertaste that produces bitterness with hints of biscuit
2005
Pictish Alchemist
Rochdale, Lancashire
(ABV 4.3%)
A delightful refreshing straw-coloured ale with crisp malt flavours and a robust hoppy finish
2004
Brakspear Special
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
(ABV 4.3%)
A golden red-coloured beer with an extremely enjoyable full-bodied taste, initially sweet giving way to a dry hop bitterness
