Olympia: Gold for Crouch Vale

l Brewer Ollie Graham accepts the Champion Beer of Britain shield for Crouch Vale Brewers Gold from Roger Protz and thanks his staff for their hard work

August 3, 2005: Essex brewer Crouch Vale has taken top prize at the Great British Beer Festival, scooping the Champion Beer of Britain (CB0B) with Brewers' Gold (4%).

There were cheers of applause as beer writer Roger Protz announced the win at festival venue Olympia yesterday afternoon. He was joined on stage by Crouch Vale brewer Ollie Graham, who accepted the trophy.

Coming on to the stage, Mr Protz, wearing a suitably-logo'd polo shirt, declared: "What do we want? We want Ridleys." He urged all festival-goers to visit the Greene King stand (new owners of the brewery) "and tell them to keep Ridley's open.

There was a wry smile on the author's face, then, when Ridley's Rumpus (4.5%) was named as a joint bronze winner in the speciality ales section of CBoB.

Full results

Milds: bronze, Elgoods Black Dog; silver, Brains Dark; gold, Grainstore Rutland Panther. Bitters: joint bronze: RCH PG Steam, Belvoir Star; silver, Holden's Black Country Bitter; gold, Woodforde's Wherry. Best bitters: joint bronze, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Olde Swan Entire Swan; silver, Mighty Oak Burntwood Bitter; gold, Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter. Strong bitters: bronze, Fuller's ESB; silver, Bullmastiff Son of a Bitch; gold, Hanby Nutcracker. Golden ales: bronze, Oakham JHB; silver, Jarrow Rivet Catcher; gold, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold. Speciality beers: joint bronze, Daleside Moroccan, Ridley's Rumpus; silver, Young's Waggledance; gold, Cairngorm Tradewinds.

Champion Beer of Britain (selected from the winners of the above categories): bronze, Woodforde's Wherry; silver, Grainstore Rutland Panther; gold, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold.