The Champion Beer of Britain (also known as CBOB) is an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), at its annual Great British Beer Festival in early August.

Qualification and judging Beers can qualify for the Champion Beer of Britain in three ways:

CAMRA tasting panels judge the beers in their geographic area of the UK. The recommendations of these panels are put forward to six regional panels, with the winners of these qualifying for the finals in August. Votes from CAMRA members via a form in What's Brewing, the CAMRA newsletter. Winning one of the 150 Beer Of The Festival awards from CAMRA beer festivals held throughout the year

Nominated beers are then grouped into categories and go through several rounds of blind tasting at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). Category winners are then re-judged to determine the supreme champion — the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain.

Up until 2015, the Supreme Champion was to be announced at the GBBF. In 2016, however, the announcement was made at a special Champion Beer of Britain Awards Dinner held in the evening of 9 August (the first day of that year's festival) at the Kensington Olympia Hilton Hotel on the first day of the festival. The change was made to raise the profile of the competition. After an outcry from members the process of announcing the winning beers during the trade day afternoon at GBBF was quickly reinstated.

The judges of the competition usually include professional brewers, beer writers, and respected beer enthusiasts. The focus of the judging is whether the judges actually enjoy the beer, as opposed to the American approach of judging a beer's technical merits.

While the award is prestigious, winning has sometimes caused problems for smaller breweries who have been unable to meet the demand for their champion beers caused by the newfound fame and publicity.

Categories

Beers can be split into categories depending on their style or strength, from 2023 the categories were changed:

until 2019 Mild Bitter Best Bitter Golden Ales Strong Bitter Bottle-Conditioned Beers

from 2023 Mild Session Bitter Premium Bitter IPAs Session Pale, Blond and Golden Premium Pale, Blond and Golden

Category name changes

The Old Ales & Barley Wines category has been renamed over the years. The award was first presented in 1991. In 1992 the category was split into two - Old Ales and Barley Wines. The new Old Ales category was renamed in 1993 to Old Ales & Strong Milds, changed again to Old Ales & Strong Ales in 1994, finally reverting to Old Ales & Strong Milds in 1996.

The Strong Ale category was changed in 1991 to Strong Bitter, with the Strong Milds joining the Old Ales category.

Winter Ales Festival

A winter ales festival has been held since 1991, the winner, since 1996, being named the Champion Winter Beer of Britain

Since 1996 the Old Ales & Strong Milds, Barley Wines and Porters & Stouts have been judged as part of the Champion Winter Beer Of Britain awards at the National Winter Ales Festival. In 2023 Speciality beers also moved to the Winter ales festival.

Results

Key Blue background indicates beers that were named Supreme Champion after winning in their category.

Supreme Champion category From 1990 onwards Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were made instead of just having an overall winner.

YearGoldSilverBronze 1978 Thwaites Best Mild (Lancashire) Fuller's, ESB (London) n/a n/a 1979 Fuller's, London Pride (London) n/a n/a 1980 Thwaites, Best Mild (Lancashire) n/a n/a 1981 Fuller's, ESB (London) n/a n/a 1982 Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) n/a n/a 1983 Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) n/a n/a 1984 No event was held this year 1985 Fuller's, ESB (London) n/a n/a 1986 Batemans, XXXB (Lincolnshire) n/a n/a 1987 Pitfield, Dark Star (Greater London) n/a n/a 1988 Ringwood, Old Thumper (Hampshire) n/a n/a 1989 Fuller's, Chiswick Bitter (London) n/a n/a 1990 Ind Coope, Burton Ale (Staffordshire) Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) Robinsons, Old Tom (Manchester) 1991 Mauldons, Black Adder (Suffolk) Fuller's, ESB (London) Brains, Dark (Cardiff) 1992 Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog (Norfolk) Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) Batemans, Salem Porter (Lincolnshire) 1993 Adnams, Extra (Suffolk) Timothy Taylor, Best Bitter (West Yorkshire) Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) 1994 Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) Coach House, Blunderbuss (Cheshire) Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) 1995 Cottage, Norman's Conquest (Somerset) Harvey's, Porter (Sussex) Hadrian, Centurion (Newcastle) 1996 Woodforde's, Wherry Best Bitter (Norfolk) Cheriton, Digger's Gold (Hampshire) Butterknowle, Banner Bitter (County Durham) 1997 Mordue, Workie Ticket (Tyne & Wear) Batemans, Dark Mild (Lincolnshire) Hobsons, Best Bitter (Shropshire) 1998 Coniston, Bluebird Bitter (Cumbria) Mordue, Radgie Gadgie (Tyne & Wear) Moorhouse's, Black Cat (Lancashire) 1999 Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) Oakham, JHB (Jeffrey Hudson Bitter) (Cambridgeshire) Caledonian, Deuchars IPA (Edinburgh) 2000 Moorhouse's, Black Cat (Lancashire) Hogs Back, TEA (Surrey) York Brewery, Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkshire) 2001 Oakham, Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (Cambridgeshire) Hop Back, Summer Lightning (Wiltshire) Brains, Dark (Cardiff) 2002 Caledonian, Deuchars IPA (Edinburgh) RCH, East Street Cream (Somerset) Triple fff, Moondance (Hampshire) 2003 Harviestoun, Bitter & Twisted (Clackmannanshire) Brains, Dark (Cardiff) Bazens, Black Pig (Manchester) 2004 Kelham Island, Pale Rider (Sheffield) Greene King, IPA (Suffolk) Hampshire, Ironside (Hampshire) 2005 Crouch Vale, Brewers Gold (Essex) Grainstore, Rutland Panther (Rutland) Woodforde's, Wherry (Norfolk) 2006 Crouch Vale, Brewers Gold (Essex) Harvey's, Sussex Best Bitter (Sussex) Triple fff, Moondance (Hampshire) 2007 Hobsons, Mild (Shropshire) Mighty Oak, Maldon Gold (Essex) Green Jack, Ripper (Suffolk) 2008 Triple fff, Alton's Pride (Hampshire) Beckstones, Black Dog Freddy (Cumbria) Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) 2009 Rudgate, Ruby Mild (North Yorkshire) Oakham, Attila (Cambridgeshire) West Berkshire, Dr Hexter's Healer (Berkshire) 2010 Castle Rock, Harvest Pale (Nottinghamshire) Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire) Surrey Hills, Hammer Mild (Surrey) 2011 Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (Essex) Marble, Chocolate (Manchester) Salopian, Shropshire Gold (Shropshire) 2012 Coniston, No.9 Barley Wine (Cumbria) Green Jack, Trawlerboys Best Bitter (Suffolk) Dark Star, American Pale Ale (Sussex) 2013 Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Buntingford, Twitchell (Hertfordshire) Fyne Ales, Jarl (Argyll & Bute) 2014 Timothy Taylor, Boltmaker (West Yorkshire) Oakham, Citra (Cambridgeshire) Salopian, Darwin's Origin (Shropshire) 2015 Tiny Rebel, Cwtch (Newport) Kelburn, Jaguar (East Renfrewshire) Dancing Duck, Dark Drake (Derby) 2016 Binghams, Vanilla Stout (Berkshire) Old Dairy, Snow Top (Kent) Tring, Death or Glory (Hertfordshire) 2017 Church End, Goats Milk (Warwickshire) Bishop Nick, Ridley's Rite (Essex) Tiny Rebel, Cwtch (Newport) 2018 Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout (Berkshire) Green Jack, Ripper (Suffolk) Mordue, Workie Ticket (Tyne & Wear) 2019 Surrey Hills, Shere Drop (Surrey) Grey Trees, Afghan Pale (Rhondda Cynon Taf) Oakham, Citra (Cambridgeshire) 2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2022 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2023 Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) Greene King, Abbot Ale (Suffolk) Salopian, Darwin's Origin (Shropshire) 2024 Crouch Vale, Amarillo Anspach & Hobday, The IPA Green Jack, Trawlerboys Best Bitter 2025 Penzance, Mild Sarah Hughes Brewery, Snowflake Church End, Fallen Angel : Champion Beer of Britain Results

Mild category

YearGoldSilverBronze 1978 Thwaites, Best Mild (Lancashire) n/a n/a 1979 Hanson's, Mild Thwaites, Mild (Lancashire) n/a 1980 Thwaites, Best Mild (Lancashire) Courage, Heavy Banks's, Mild 1981 Banks's Mild Tetley's Mild Thwaites Best Mild (Lancashire) 1982 Tetley's Mild Thwaites Mild (Lancashire) West Riding Mild 1983 Ansells, Mild Banks's, Mild Highgate, Mild 1984 No event was held this year 1985 Ansells Mild Hook Norton Mild Adnams Mild 1986 Thwaites Best Mild (Lancashire) Highgate Mild Hook Norton Mild 1987 Ansells Mild Thwaites Best Mild (Lancashire) Timothy Taylor Golden Best (West Yorkshire) 1988 Batemans Mild M&B Highgate Mild Timothy Taylor Best (West Yorkshire) 1989 Timothy Taylor Golden Best Courage Bitter Ale Batemans Mild 1990 Harvey's Pale Ale Batemans Mild Timothy Taylor Golden Best (West Yorkshire) 1991 Brains Dark Gales XXXD (Horndean) Guernsey LBA 1992 Timothy Taylor Golden Best (West Yorkshire) King & Barnes Sussex Mild Brains Dark 1993 Woodforde's Mardlers Mild Adnams Mild n/a 1994 Hoskins & Oldfield Mild Coachhouse Gunpowder Strong Mild Highgate Dark 1995 Ridley Mild Hoskins & Oldfield Mild Cains Mild (Liverpool) 1996 Tomlinsons Heritage Mild Batemans Dark Mild Harvey's Sussex XX Mild 1997 Batemans Dark Mild Cains Dark Mild (Liverpool) Coach House Gunpowder Strong Mild 1998 Moorhouse's Black Cat Mild Elgood's Black Dog Mild (Cambridgeshire) Harvey's Sussex XX Mild 1999 Batemans Dark Mild Elgood's Black Dog Mild (Cambridgeshire) Cains Dark Mild (Liverpool); St Austell XXXX (Cornwall) 2000 Moorhouse's, Black Cat (Lancashire) Batemans Dark Brains Dark 2001 Brains Dark Moorhouse's Black Cat Boat Brewery Man in a Boat 2002 Triple fff Pressed Rat & Warthog (Hampshire) Boat Brewery Man in a Boat Moorhouse's Black Cat 2003 Lidstones Rowley Mild Brains Dark Bazens Black Pig Mild 2004 Lees GB Mild (Manchester) Brains Dark Hardys & Hansons Kimberley Mild 2005 Grainstore Rutland Panther Brains Dark Elgood's Black Dog (Cambridgeshire) 2006 Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (Essex) Elgood's Black Dog (Cambridgeshire) Grainstore Rutland Panther 2007 Hobsons, Mild (Shropshire) Nottingham Rock Mild Brain's Dark 2008 Beckstones, Black Dog Freddy (Cumbria) Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York) Rhymney, Dark (Merthyr Tydfil) 2009 Rudgate, Ruby Mild (North Yorkshire) Bank Top, Dark Mild (Lancashire) Highland, Dark Munro (Orkney) 2010 Surrey Hills Hammer Mild Greene King XX Mild (Suffolk) Golcar Dark Mild;Nottingham Rock Ale Mild 2011 Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (Essex) Rudgate, Ruby Mild Coastal, Merry Maidens 2012 Rudgate, Ruby Mild (North Yorkshire) Hobsons, Hobsons Mild (Shropshire) Son of Sid, Muckcart Mild (Bedfordshire) 2013 Great Orme, Welsh Black (Conwy) Cotswold Spring, Old Sodbury Mild (Gloucestershire) Fernandes, Malt Shovel Mild (West Yorkshire) 2014 Bank Top, Dark Mild Branscombe Vale, Mild Castle Rock, Black Gold 2015 Williams Bros, Black Rudgate, Ruby Mild Great Orme, Welsh Black 2016 Williams Bros, Black Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (Essex) Acorn, Darkness 2017 Rudgate, Ruby Mild (North Yorkshire) West Berkshire, Maggs' Magnificent Mild Winter's, Mild (Norfolk) 2018 Greene King, XX Mild (Suffolk) Rhymney, Dark (Gwent) East London Brewery, Orchid (Greater London) 2019 Church End, Grave Digger's Ale (Warwickshire) Fernandes, Malt Shovel Mild (West Yorkshire) West Berkshire, Maggs' Mild (Berkshire) 2020 Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2023Harvey's, Dark Mild (East Sussex)Bank Top, Dark Mild (Greater Manchester)Church End, Grave Digger's Ale (Warwickshire) 2024 Penzance Brewing Co, Mild Brains, Dark Five Kingdoms Brewery, McGregor’s Mild 2025 Penzance, Mild n/a n/a : Champion Beer of Britain Results

Session Bitter category