Great British Beer Festival

Church End Brewery Goat's Milk crowned Beer of Britain

By Nikkie Sutton

- Last updated on GMT

Taste of success: Church End brewery sales manager Paul Hamblett said Goat's Milk was its biggest seller
Taste of success: Church End brewery sales manager Paul Hamblett said Goat's Milk was its biggest seller

Related tags Great british beer Great british beer festival

Church End Brewery Goat's Milk as been announced as the winner of the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF).

The award was announced at this year's GBBF today (Tuesday 8 August), held at London's Olympia.

Head brewer Karl Graves told The Morning Advertiser​: "I have got butterflies in my stomach.

"Every brewery would like to win it and we have been close before."

'Won't sink in'

He added: "It won't sink in for a few days yet.

"[My first thought was] I had better get brewing some more Goat's Milk!

"Everyone deserves this because everyone works hard."

Paul Hamblett, brewery sales manager, told event organiser, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), on accepting the award: "Goat's Milk is our biggest selling beer – it's a nicely balanced beer with a hoppy edge.

"We originally brewed and named it for a festival taking place in the Goat pub, and the beer just caught on. It's the first time we've won the competition, and we expect it to put us on the map."

Great British Beer Festival

The award follows almost a year of local tasting panels and regional heats, allowing the best beers from across the UK to compete at the GBBF.

Final judging for the competition was held at the GBBF, where more than 50,000 people are expected to sample from more than 900 beers, ciders, perries and fine wines. 

Of the overall winning beer, CAMRA national director responsible for the competition Nick Boley said: "Congratulations to Church End for winning the Champion Beer of Britain award for Goat's Milk, which is the highest beer accolade in the country.

"Goat's Milk is a stand-out beer – it has a lovely balance of malts and hops, and a full flavour. It is a very fine example of a bitter and [is] incredibly refreshing."

Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) chief executive Mike Benner said: "It is wonderful to see a SIBA member brewery once again winning the Champion Beer of Britain top prize.

"This comes as proof that the best beers in the UK are being made by independent craft brewers such as Church End, which should be hugely proud of its achievement.

"It was obviously a hit with judges and I'm very much looking forward to trying it very soon."

Winning beers

 Overall winners

Brewery

Beer

Gold

Church End

Goat's Milk

Silver

Bishop Nick

Ridley's Rite

Bronze

Tiny Rebel

Cwtch

 

 

 

Mild

 

 

Gold

Rudgate

Ruby Mild

Silver

West Berkshire

Maggs' Magnificent Mild

Bronze

Winter's

Mild

 

 

 

Bitter

 

 

Gold

Church End

Goat's Milk

Silver

Bishop Nick

Ridley's Rite

Bronze

Triple fff

Alton's Pride

 

Sambrook's

Wandle

 

 

 

Best Bitter

 

 

Gold

Tiny Rebel

Cwtch

Silver

Blackedge

Pike

Bronze

Surrey Hills

Shere Drop

 

West Berkshire

Good Old Boy

 

 

 

Golden Ale

 

 

Gold

Blue Monkey

Infinity

Silver

Fyne Ales

Jarl

Bronze

Oakham

Citra

 

Ludlow

Gold

 

 

 

Strong Bitter

 

 

Gold

Grey Trees

Afghan Pale Ale 

Silver

Barngates

Red Bull Terrier

Bronze

Salopian

Automaton

 

 

 

Speciality

 

 

Gold

Saltaire

Triple Chocoholic

Silver

Blackedge

Black Port Porter

Silver

Cromarty

Red Rocker

 

 

 

Champion Winter Beer Winners

 

 

Gold

Old Ales/Strong Milds

Grainstore - Rutland Beast

Silver

Porters

Sulwath - Black Galloway

Silver

Stouts

Magic Rock - Dark Arts

Bronze

Barley wines/Strong Old Ales

Moor - Old Freddy Walker

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