GB Beer Festival overall winners

Overall winners 
Champion Beer of Britain - Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (3.7% ABV, Maldon, Essex) 
Second - Marble, Chocolate (5.5% ABV, Manchester, Gtr Manchester) 
Third - Salopian, Shropshire Gold (3.8%ABV, Shrewsbury, Shropshire) 

Mild category 
Gold- Mighty Oak, Oscar Wilde (3.7% ABV, Maldon, Essex) 
Silver- Rudgate, Ruby Mild (4.4% ABV, York, North Yorkshire) 
Bronze- Coastal, Merry Maidens (4% ABV, Redruth, Cornwall) 

Bitter category 
Gold- Salopian, Shropshire Gold (3.8%ABV, Shrewsbury, Shropshire) 
Silver- Teignworthy, Reel Ale (4% ABV, Newton Abbot, Devon) 
Joint Bronze- Triple fff, Alton's Pride (3.8% ABV, Alton, Hampshire) 
Joint Bronze- Potton, Shannon IPA (3.6% ABV, Potton, Bedfordshire) 

Best Bitter category 
Gold- Houston, Peter's Well (4.2% ABV, Houston, Renfrewshire) 
Silver- Country Life, Golden Pig (4.7% ABV, Bideford, Devon) 
Joint Bronze- Castle Rock, Preservation (4.4% ABV, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire) 
Joint Bronze- Bollington, Best Bitter (4.2% ABV, Bollington, Cheshire) 
Joint Bronze- Blythe, Staffie (4.4% ABV, Rugeley, Staffordshire) 

Golden Ale category 
Gold- Cumbrian Legendary Ales, Loweswater Gold (4.3% ABV, Hawkshead, Cumbria) 
Silver- Salamander, Golden Salamander (4.5% ABV, Bradford, West Yorkshire) 
Bronze- Holden's, Golden Glow (4.4% ABV, Dudley, West Midlands) 

Strong Bitter category 
Gold- Moles, Mole Catcher (5% ABV, Melksham, Wiltshire) 
Silver- Kinver, Half Centurion (5% ABV, Kinver, Staffordshire) 
Bronze- Adnams Broadside (4.7% ABV, Southwold, Suffolk) 

Speciality Beer category 
Gold- Oakleaf, I Can't Believe It's Not Bitter (4.9% ABV, Gosport, Hampshire) 
Silver- Amber, Chocolate Orange Stout (4% ABV, Ripley, Derbyshire) 
Bronze- Orkney, Atlas Wayfarer (4.4% ABV, Stromness, Orkney) 

Winter Beer of Britain winner (announced in January 2011) 
Dow Bridge, Praetorian Porter (5% ABV, Catthorpe, Leicestershire) 
Holden's, Old Ale (7.2% ABV, Dudley, West Midlands) 
Hop Back, Entire Stout (4.5% ABV, Downton, Wiltshire) 
Marble, Chocolate (5.5% ABV, Manchester, Gtr Manchester) 

Bottled Beer of Britain winners (sponsored by Hotel du Vin) 
Gold- St Austell, Proper Job (5.5% ABV, St Austell, Cornwall) 
Joint Silver- Molson Coors, Worthington White Shield (5.6% ABV, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire) 
Joint Silver- Brown Cow, Captain Oates Dark Oat Mild (4.5% ABV, Selby, North Yorkshire)

Real Ale news!

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/875505-boom-time-for-real-ale-with-trendy-new-image

This is great news, not that it surprises me.

The article mentions an increase in both younger men and women drinkers and I would confirm this too, if only by the clientele seen over the last 20 years of the GBBF.

I can remember in the first few years having a criteria and points system for spotting a certain type of gentleman, it went something like this:
10 points awarded for:

• Bushy beard
• Overhanging beer gut (extra points for an old festival T-Shirt that's far too short exposing belly)
• Sandals and socks
• Biege trousers with useful pockets (extra points for longer socks with shorts)

Extra points for a combination of the above.

Whilst some of that clientele are still at the festival, it has to be said the crowd has changed over the years and it can only be a good thing.

I have also seen two very good blogs by women (which are in my list of links), who would be in the category that the article is talking about. Here's hoping this trend continues.
And as the years go by, lets hope I don't add too many of the criteria!

Molecatcher wins award

http://www.molesbrewery.com/site/?p=696

Glad to see my taste buds aren't too bad, this was my favourite of the ones I tried on the day.

Sharp's Brewery - Doom Bar

Now I must have had a dodgy one the first time I tried this because I've tended to avoid it, until I had little choice this week. How glad I am too, this is a great pint!

I had it with a meal and then asked my wife if she minded driving home so that i could have another!! (In my defence I had just driven all the way back from the coast :-)

It's in that category that you could call a session beer.

Brewery: Sharp's (Rock - Cornwall)
Beer: Doom Bar
Style: Premium Ale 4.0%

Another beer to add to my long collection of likeable west country ales!

http://www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk/our-beers/doombar/

Here's a little bit about the name and its origins:
Where the river Camel meets the Atlantic Ocean on Cornwall’s rugged north coast, a sand bank, centuries old, known as the Doom Bar protects and calms this beautiful estuary. Sailors respect the Doom Bar knowing it to be unforgiving if met with haste or arrogance.

Great British Beer Festival 2011

Honourable mention must go to the following beer:

Brewery: Beeston (Norfolk)
Beer: On the Huh
Style: Premium Beer 5.0%

In the GBBF brochure it gave this description:
Chestnut in colour, this is an old style traditional strong bitter. Smooth, malty, rich and full bodied.
I just gave it three stars, however as it was one of the last ones I tried on the day, I honestly can't give you much more description than that!! But as it got the same marks as the Potholer it couldn't have been too bad.

Further beers I had, that got two stars, which would imply an acceptable beer are as follows:

Brewery: Braydon (Wiltshire)
Beer: Yetiz
Style: Bitter 4.1%

Brewery: Keltek (Cornwall)
Beer: Magik
Style: Bitter 4.0%

Brewery: Exe Valley (Devon)
Beer: Silverton Pride
Style: Bitter 3.9%

Brewery: Kelburn (Glasgow)
Beer: Red Smiddy
Style: Premium Ale 4.1%

Brewery: Surrey Hills (Surrey)
Beer: Shere Drop
Style: Bitter 4.2%

and finally one that only got 1 star

Brewery: Church End (Warwickshire)
Beer: Goat's Milk
Style: Golden Ale 3.6%

I had underlined citrus and dry finish and whilst I don't mind a bit of tang it's not my favourite flavour in beer. Although I seem to be seeing many more "citrus" beers at the festival as years go by. Is it an industry idea that these flavours are more palatable? Or a change in drinking habits?

Great British Beer Festival 2011

Brewery: Moles (Wiltshire)
Beer: Mole Catcher
Style: Premium Beer 5.0%

This was probably my favourite beer of the day.

I don't know anything about this brewery, its was first time i'd come across it. The best accolade I can give it was it reminded me of an old favourite of mine King and Barnes Festive, praise indeed!

http://www.molesbrewery.com/site/

The flavour description in the brochure probably backs up my claim by describing the taste as malty, spicy hop and the look as ruby, brown, and the taste - bitter/sweet, a perfect beer, maybe for a colder evening.

Great British Beer Festival 2011

Having visited last Thursday, I thought I'd pass on my thoughts about my personal favourites. I shall also do it over a number of posts. So here goes.

Brewery: Cheddar (Somerset)
Beer: Potholer
Style: Golden Ale 4.3%

This was my equal second favourite beer of the day.

http://www.cheddarales.co.uk/

This was my first beer of the festival, and I wasn't disappointed either. The taste description in the brochure said dry, refreshing and zesty, and I underlined refreshing, so there you go! With just a hint of citrus, (a hint is all you need and many of the summer beers appear to over do this slightly). A great beer on which to start the day.
Brewed in Somerset it adds to my opinion that west country beers are some of our best.