The Champion Winter Beer of Britain is an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) at its annual Great British Beer Festival Winter. The award is similar to the Champion Beer of Britain which is presented at the Great British Beer Festival.
As for Champion Beer of Britain, beers can qualify in three ways:
Nominated beers are then grouped into categories and go through several rounds of blind tasting at the Great British Beer Festival Winter. Category winners are then re-judged to determine the supreme champion — the Champion Winter Beer of Britain.
Beers are split into categories depending on their style or strength with Speciality ale categories joining in 2023 from the main Champion Beer of Britain competition.
There were two National Winter Ales Festivals in 1997. The first one at the beginning of the year presented the 1996/7 awards and the other, at the end of the year, presented the 1997/8 awards. There was no festival in 1998, the next one being in January 1999.
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996/7 | Hambleton, Nightmare | Branscombe Vale, Yo Ho Ho | Theakston, Old Peculier |
| 1997/8 | Nethergate, Old Growler | Shepherd Neame, Original Porter | Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire) |
| 1999 | Dent, T'Owd Top | Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog | Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire) |
| 2000 | Robinson's, Old Tom (Stockport) | Theakstons, Old Peculier | Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout |
| 2001 | Orkney, Skullsplitter | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild | O'Hanlon's, Port Stout |
| 2002 | Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout | Bath Ales, Festivity | Robinsons, Old Tom |
| 2003 | Nethergate, Old Growler | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | Wentworth, Oatmeal Stout |
| 2004 | Moor, Old Freddy Walker | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | Shepherd Neame, Original Porter |
| 2005 | Robinsons, Old Tom | Bath Ales, Festivity | Woodforde's, Headcracker |
| 2006 | Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | Goff's, Black Knight |
| 2007 | Green Jack, Ripper | Fuller's, London Porter | Orkney, Skullsplitter |
| 2008 | Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) | Robinson's, Old Tom | Hop Back, Entire Stout |
| 2009 | Oakham, Attila (Cambridgeshire) | Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild |
| 2010 | Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Breconshire, Ramblers Ruin | Acorn's, Gorlovka Imperial Stout |
| 2011 | Hop Back, Entire Stout | Marble, Chocolate | Dow Bridge, Praetorian Porter |
| 2012 | Driftwood, Alfie's Revenge (St Agnes, Cornwall) | Cairngorm, Black Gold (Aviemore, Highlands) | Coniston, No. 9 Barley Wine (Coniston, Cumbria) |
| 2013 | Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Bartrams Brewery, Comrade Bill Bartram's EAISS [Egalitarian Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout] (Suffolk) |
Kelburn Brewing, Dark Moor (East Renfrewshire) |
| 2014 | Dunham Massey, Porter (Greater Manchester) | Cairngorm, Black Gold (Aviemore, Highlands) | Exe Valley, Winter Glow (Devon) |
| 2015 | Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Purple Moose, Darkside of the Moose | Dancing Duck, Dark Drake |
| 2016 | Marble, Chocolate Marble | Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Plain Ales, Inncognito Stout |
| 2017 | Moor, Old Freddy Walker | Sulwath Brewers, Black Galloway | Magic Rock, Dark Arts |
| 2018 | Green Jack, Ripper | Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | Cairngorm, Black Gold |
| 2019 | Lacons, Audit Ale | Calverley's, Porter | Harviestoun, Old Engine Oil |
| 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 Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) [1] | Robinsons Brewery, Old Tom (Cheshire) | Dancing Duck’s, Dark Drake (Derbyshire) |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Theakston, Old Peculier | King & Barnes, Old | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild |
| 1992 | Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog (Norfolk) | Theakston, Old Peculier | Young's, Winter Warmer |
| 1993 | Sarah Hughes, Original Mild | King & Barnes, Old Ale | n/a |
| 1994 | Hadrian, Emperor | Summerskill, Indiana Bones | Young's, Winter Warmer |
| 1995 | Theakston, Old Peculier | Orkney, Dark Island | King & Barnes, Old |
| 1996 | No event was held this year | ||
| 1997 | Branscombe, Vale Yo Ho Ho | Theakston, Old Peculier | n/a |
| 1998 | Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire) | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild; King & Barnes, Old Ale |
Gales, Festival Mild (London) |
| 1999 | Daleside, Monkey Wrench (Yorkshire) | n/a | n/a |
| 2000 | Theakston, Old Peculier | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | n/a |
| 2001 | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild | Orkney, Dark Island | n/a |
| 2002 | Bath Ales, Festivity | Rudgate, Ruby Mild | Beartown, Black Bear |
| 2003 | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild | Woodforde's, Norfolk Nog |
| 2004 | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | n/a | n/a |
| 2005 | Bath Ales, Festivity | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | Theakston, Old Peculier |
| 2006 | Gales, Festival Mild (London) | Goff's, Black Knight | Orkney, Dark Island |
| 2007 | B&T, Black Dragon Mild | Orkney, Dark Island | Rudgate, Ruby Mild |
| 2008 | Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose | West Berkshire, Maggs Magnificent Mild | Highland, Dark Monroe |
| 2009 | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby | Bryncelyn, Buddy Marvellous | Orkney, Dark Island; Theakston, Old Peculier |
| 2010 | Breconshire, Ramblers Ruin | Leeds, Midnight Bell | Beartown, Black Bear |
| 2011 | Marble, Chocolate | King's, Old Ale | Beowulf's, Dark Raven |
| 2012 | Driftwood, Alfie's Revenge (Cornwall) | Nant, Mwnci Nell (Conwy); Brunswick, Black Sabbath (Derbyshire) |
Beowulf, Dark Raven (Staffordshire) |
| 2013 | Kelburn Brewing, Dark Moor (East Renfrewshire) | Jennings, Sneck Lifter (Cumbria) | Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose (Gwynedd) |
| 2014 | Exe Valley, Winter Glow (Devon) | Beowulf, Dark Raven (Staffordshire) | Grainstore, Rutland Beast (Rutland) |
| 2015 | Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose (Gwynedd) | Ulverston, Fra Diavolio | Castle Rock, Midnight Owl |
| 2016 | Old Dairy, Snow Top; Marble, Chocolate |
Beowulf, Dark Raven; Parmers, Tally Ho! |
Adnams, Old Ale; Brampton, Mild |
| 2017 | Grainstore Brewery | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby Mild | Adnams, Old Ale Old Dairy, Snow Top |
| 2018 | Tintagel, Excalibur | Untapped, Ember | Jennings, Sneck Lifter |
| 2019 | Tintagel, Excalibur [2] | Harvey, Old Ale | Brampton, Mild |
| 2020 | Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2023 | Brampton, Mild [1] | Sarah Hughes, Dark Ruby | Great Corby, Fox Brown Ale |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Gibbs Mew, Bishops Tipple | Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) | Lees, Moonraker (Manchester) |
| 1993 | Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) | Marston's, Owd Rodger (Burton upon Trent) | n/a |
| 1994 | Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Gibbs Mew, Bishops Tipple |
| 1995 | Cottage, Norman Conquest (Somerset) | Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) | Pilgrim, Conqueror |
| 1996 | No event was held this year | ||
| 1997 | McMullen's, Stronghart | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | n/a |
| 1998 | Lees, Moonraker (Manchester) | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Marston's, Owd Rodger (Burton upon Trent) |
| 1999 | Cottage, Norman's Conquest | n/a | n/a |
| 2000 | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Burton Bridge, Old Expensive | n/a |
| 2001 | Orkney, Skullsplitter (Orkney) | Adnams, Tally Ho (Suffolk) | n/a |
| 2002 | Big Lamp, Blackout | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Adnams, Tally Ho (Suffolk) |
| 2003 | Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) | Harveys, Christmas Ale | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) |
| 2004 | Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) | n/a | n/a |
| 2005 | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Woodforde's, Headcracker (Norfolk) | Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) |
| 2006 | Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) | Isle of Skye, Cuillin Beast (Isle of Skye) | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) |
| 2007 | Orkney, Skull Splitter (Orkney) | Green Jack, Ripper (Suffolk) | Durham, Benedictus |
| 2008 | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Durham, Benedictus | Mighty Oak, Saxon Song |
| 2009 | Oakham, Attila (Cambridgeshire) | Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) | Otley, O8 |
| 2010 | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Kinver Brewery, Over The Edge (Staffordshire) | Otley, O8 |
| 2011 | Holdens, Old Ale | Robinsons, Old Tom (Stockport) | Black Isle, Hibernator |
| 2012 | Coniston, No. 9 Barley Wine (Cumbria) | Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) | Isle of Skye, Cuillin Beast (Isle of Skye) |
| 2013 | Hogs Back, A Over T (Surrey) | Heart of Wales Brewing, High as a Kite (Powys) | Kinver Brewery, Over The Edge (Staffordshire) |
| 2014 | Kinver Brewery, Over the Edge (Staffordshire) | Moor, Old Freddy Walker (Somerset) | Green Jack, Ripple Tripel (Suffolk); Highland, Orkney Porter (Orkney) |
| 2015 | Moved to Barley Wines and Strong Old Ales | ||
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lees, Moonraker (Manchester) | Orkney, Skullsplitter | Darwin, Extinction Ale |
| 2016 | Tring, Death or Glory; Darwin, Extinction Ale |
Orkney, Skull Splitter; Moor, Old Freddy Walker |
Robinsons, Old Tom; Broughton, Old Jock |
| 2017 | Moor, Old Freddy Walker | Green Jack, Ripper, Tripel | Orkney, Skull Splitter |
| 2018 | Green Jack, Ripper | Boot, Beast | Exmoor, Exmoor Beast |
| 2019 | Lacons, Audit Ale [2] | Tring, Death or Glory | Robinson, Old Tom |
| 2020 | Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2023 | Robinsons, Old Tom [1] | Exmoor, Beast | Darwin, Extinction |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Mauldons, Black Adder (Suffolk) | Burton, Bridge Porter | West Coast, Guiltless Stout |
| 1992 | Bateman, Salem Porter | Malton, Pickwick Porter | Reepham, Velvet Stout |
| 1993 | Coach House, Blunderbus | Reepham, Velvet Stout | n/a |
| 1994 | Coach House, Blunderbus | Hambleton, Nightmare Porter | Elgood's North Brink Porter (Cambridgeshire) |
| 1995 | Harveys, Porter | RCH, Old Slug Porter | Hop Back Entire Stout |
| 1996 | No event was held this year | ||
| 1997 | Hambleton, Nightmare | Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) | n/a |
| 1998 | Shepherd Neame Original Porter; Nethergate, Old Growler |
Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) | McGuinness, Tommy Todd's Porter |
| 1999 | Salopian, Ironbridge Stout | n/a | n/a |
| 2000 | Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout | High Force, Cauldron Stout | n/a |
| 2001 | O'Hanlon's, Port Stout | Nethergate, Old Growler | n/a |
| 2002 | Wye Valley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout | Ringwood, XXXXL | Banks & Taylor, Edwin Taylor Extra Stout |
| 2003 | Nethergate, Old Growler | Wentworth, Oatmeal Stout | RCH, Old Slug Porter |
| 2004 | Shepherd Neame, Original Porter | n/a | n/a |
| 2005 | Bateman, Salem Porter | Big Lamp, Summerhill Stout | Spectrum, Old Stoatwobbler |
| 2006 | Bazen Knoll, Street Porter | Fuller's, London Porter (London) | Bath Ales, Festivity |
| 2007 | Fuller's, London Porter (London) | Cairngorm, Black Gold | St Peter's, Old Style Porter |
| 2008 | Separate awards for porters and stouts | ||
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire) | Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Acorn, Old Moor Porter |
| 2009 | Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Fullers, London Porter (London); Townes, Pynot Porter |
n/a |
| 2010 | Elland, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Sulwath, Black Galloway | RCH, Old Slug Porter |
| 2011 | Dow Bridge's, Praetorian Porter | Beowulf's Finns Hall Porter | Red Squirrel's London Porter |
| 2012 | Hammerpot, Bottle Wreck Porter (West Sussex) | Blythe, Johnson's (Staffordshire) | Sulwath, Black Galloway (Dumfries and Galloway) |
| 2013 | Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Blythe Brewery, Johnson's (Staffordshire) | Derby Brewery, Penny's Porter (Derbyshire) |
| 2014 | Dunham Massey, Dunham Porter (Greater Manchester) | Ayr Brewery, Rabbie's Porter (Ayrshire) | Batemans, Salem Porter (Lincolnshire) |
| 2015 | Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire) | Bath Ales, Festivities; Fuller's, London Porter (London) |
Blakemere, Deep Dark Secret |
| 2016 | Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter (West Yorkshire); Facer's, North Star Porter |
Ayr, Rabbies Porter; RCH, Old Slug Porter |
Red Fox, Black Fox Porter; 8 Sails, Victorian Porter |
| 2017 | Sulwath Brewers, Black Galloway | Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter | Tavy Ales, Tavy Porter |
| 2018 | Red Cat, Mr M's Porter | Dunham Massey, Dunham Porter | Grain, Slate |
| 2019 | Calverley, Porter [2] | Harviestoun, Old Engine Oil | Dancing Duck, Indian Porter |
| 2020 | Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2023 | Categories changed to strengths | ||
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Hop Back, Entire Stout (Wiltshire) | Spitting Feathers, Old Wavertonian | Spire, Sgt Pepper Stout |
| 2009 | Bristol Beer Factory, Milk Stout | Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout | Spire, Sgt Pepper Stout |
| 2010 | Acorn, Gorlovka Imperial Stout (South Yorkshire) | Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout | Wapping, Stout |
| 2011 | Hop Back, Entire Stout (Wiltshire) | Hop Star's, Smokey Joes Black Beer | Milton's, Nero |
| 2012 | Cairngorm, Black Gold (Aviemore) | Cambridge Moonshine, Black Hole Stout (Cambridgeshire) | Acorn, Gorlovka (South Yorkshire) |
| 2013 | Bartrams Brewery, Comrade Bill Bartram's EAISS [Egalitarian Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout] (Suffolk) | Marble Beers, Stouter Stout (Greater Manchester) | Hop Back, Entire Stout (Wiltshire) |
| 2014 | Cairngorm, Black Gold (Highlands, Scotland) | Ascot Ales, Anastasia's Exile Stout (Surrey) | Marble, Stouter Stout (Greater Manchester) |
| 2015 | Dancing Duck, Dark Drake | Plain Ales, Incognito | Highland, Sneeky Wee Orkney Stout |
| 2016 | Plain Ales, Inncognito Stout; Wibblers, Crafty Stoat |
Cairngorm, Black Gold; Thornbridge, St Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout |
Thornbridge, St Petersburg Russian Stout; Cairngorm, Black Gold |
| 2017 | Magic Rock, Dark Arts | London Brewing Company, 100 Oysters Stout | Loch Lomond, Silkie Stout |
| 2018 | Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout | Cairngorm, Black Gold | Fixed Wheel, Blackheath Stout |
| 2019 | Plain Ales, Inncognito [2] | Dark Star, Imperial Stout | Cairngorm, Black Gold |
| 2020 | Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2023 | Categories changed to strengths | ||
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dancing Duck, Dark Drake [1] | Thurston, Milk Stout | Beowulf, Dragon Smoke Stout |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Elland, 1872 Porter [1] | Fixed Wheel, Blackheath Stout | Ashover, Milk Stout |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
Speciality beers moved from Champion Beer of Britain festival category
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Chapter, Dead Man’s Fist [1] | Black Hole, Milky Way | Treens, Smoulder |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Marble, Earl Grey IPA [1] | Purple Moose, Elderflower Ale | Siren Craft, Broken Dream Breakfast Stout |
| Source: Champion Winter Beer of Britain Results | |||