Brewers Gold wins champion beer again

l A delighted Colin Bocking, of Crouch Vale Brewery, accepts the shield for Champion Beer of Britain, watched by Nigel Evans (left), vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, and Roger Protz, editor of the Good Beer Guide

August 5, 2006: Crouch Vale Brewers Gold has become the first brew to be named CAMRA champion beer of Britain two years in a row.

The Essex brewery successful defended its title at CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), staged at Earl's Court, London, this week.

And it was clearly a popular winner with the crowd, as well as, of course, with the specialist judges who painstakingly whittled down the entries in the contest.

Last year brewer Ollie Graham had joined Good Beer Guide editor Roger Protz and Parliamentary Beer Group vice-chairman Nigel Evans MP to accept the award on the GBBF stage. This year, fellow brewery owner Colin Bocking came up to accept the trophy.

"I'm not quite speechless, but very close to it," he told the GBBF crowd, having ust arrived at the event. He added, modestly: "Twenty-six years I've been in the business trying to brew decent beer and it would appear I've made some progress."

The beer is described by CAMRA as a honey-toned golden ale, with grapefruit sharpness offset by suggestions of melon and pineapple.”

Mr Protz, one of the finalist judges, said: “It's a tremendous victory for a brewery committed to its cask beer and richly deserved for this marvelous hoppy and fruity beer.”

Full results

CAMRA supreme champion beer of Britain

Gold, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold (Essex); silver, Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (East Sussex); bronze, Triple FFF Moondance (Hampshire).

Category winners

Milds

Gold, Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde Mild (Essex); silver, Elgood's Black Dog (Cambridgeshire); bronze, Grainstore Rutland Panther (Rutland).

Bitters

Gold, Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (Cambridgehsire); silver, Acorn Barnsley Bitter (South Yorkshire); joint bronze, Sharp's Doom Bar (Cornwall) and Woodforde's Wherry (Norfolk).

Best bitters

Gold, Harveys Sussex Best Bitter (East Sussex); Triple FFF Moondance (Hampshire); joint bronze, Kelburn Red Smiddy (East Renfrewshire) and Surrey Hills Shere Drop (Surrey).

Strong bitters

Gold, York Brewery Centurians Ghost Ale (Yorkshire); silver, Thornbridge Jaipur IPA; bronze, Weetwood Oasthouse Gold (Cheshire).

Speciality beers

Gold, Cairngorm Trade Winds (Highlands); silver, Wolf Straw Dog (Norfolk); bronze, Williams Brothers Froach Heather Ale (Alloa).

Golden ales

Gold, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold (Essex); silver, Hop Back Summer Lightning (Wiltshire); bronze, Holden's Golden Glow (Midlands).

Good bottled beer competition

Gold, White Shield Brewery White Shield (Staffordshire); silver, Greene King Hen's Tooth (Suffolk); bronze, Titanic Stout (Staffordshire).