CAMRA named the top IPAs, milds, bitters, blonds, pales and golden beers in the UK at the 2025 Cambridge Beer Festival.
The six finalists include Penzance Mild (3.6%), Butcombe Original (4%), Cairngorm Wildcat (5.1%), Elusive Oregon Trail IPA (5.8%), Track Sonoma (3.8%) and Church End Fallen Angel (5%).
Champion Beer
These winners in the six categories will join the finalists announced at the Great British Beer Winter Festival, and all 12 will battle it out to be crowned Champion Beer of Britain 2025.
The winner of the Winter festival was Cairngorm Black Gold.
Champion Beer of Britain judging panel organiser Christine Cryne described the beer as having “roasted coffee nose with dark fruits and earthy hops.”
She continued: “The flavour is of refreshing coffee with sweet malt, orange and dark fruits, leading to a satisfying dry, chocolatey finish. Very easy drinking.”
The six announced in Cambridge will be fighting it out with Cairngorm Black Gold, Tintagel Caliburn, Grain Slate, Sarah Hughes Snowflake, Allendale Adder Lager and Siren Broken Dream Breakfast Stout.
Independent competition
The overall winner will be announced at the Great British Beer Festival at the NEC in Birmingham in August.
CAMRA awards director Gary Timmins said: “This was a fiercely fought battle, and the winners and category runners-up should be extremely proud of themselves.
“Champion Beer of Britain showcases the best of cask beer in the UK, with beers entered by CAMRA members and volunteer tasting panels before being judged using a ‘blind’ process, so it’s a truly independent competition.”
Cambridge Finalists and winners
IPAs:
Gold: Elusive - Oregon Trail
Silver: Castle Rock - Screech Owl
Bronze: South Hams - Sherman
Mild:
Gold: Penzance - Mild
Silver: Five Kingdom - McGregor’s Mild
Joint Bronze: Mr Winter’s - Fusioneer / Half Moon - Dark Masquerade
Premium Bitter:
Gold: Cairngorm - Wildcat
Silver: Fuller’s - ESB
Bronze: Brains - Rev James Original
Premium Pale, Blond and Golden:
Gold: Church End - Fallen Angel
Silver: Stone Henge - Danish Dynamite
Bronze: Big Lamp - Prince Bishop Ale
Session Bitter:
Gold: Butcombe - Butcombe Original
Silver: Dancing Duck - 22
Bronze: RedWillow - Feckless
Session Pale, Blond and Golden:
Gold: Track - Sonoma
Silver: Ossett - White Rat
Bronze: Arbor - Shangri La
