Alton's Pride named beer of the year

By Steve Green on Aug 5, 08 04:05 PM

Alton's Pride, from Hampshire independent Triple fff, was today judged Britain's best beer by a panel of brewers, beer writers and journalists.

The award was announced during the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court, London, which runs until Saturday.

Alton's Pride (3.6 3.8%) is described in the 2008 edition of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide as a "clean-tasting, golden brown beer, full-bodied for its strength with an aroma of floral hops. An initial malty flavour fades as citrus notes and hoppiness take over, leading to a hoppy, bitter finish." It beat off competition from more than 60 finalists in seven categories (best bitters, bitters, golden ales, milds, speciality ales, winter beers and strong bitters), with entrants ranging from tiny micros to major regional brewers.

Roger Protz, one of the finalist judges and Good Beer Guide editor, called it "a magnificent victory for a craft brewery that opened in 1997 with a five barrel plant and has just opened a new brewhouse with a 50 barrel kit.

"[Triple fff] has grown due to consumer demand for its rich and complex beer and proves that the future for real ale in Britain is assured."

Graham Trott, Triple fff's head brewer said: "We are over the moon and delighted to put Alton as a brewery back on the map. I would like to thank everyone who is connected with the brewery and we look forward to more people enjoying our winning beer."

Cumbrian brewer Beckstones took the silver award for its Black Dog Freddy, whilst bronze went to CAMRA's current National Winter Beer of Britain winner Station Porter, from Gloucestershire's Wickwar Brewery.

Read on for the full results:

Here are the full results:

Champion Beer of Britain 2008

Champion Beer of Britain: TRIPLE FFF, ALTON'S PRIDE (Hampshire)
Second: Beckstones, Black Dog Freddy (Cumbria)
Third: Wickwar, Station Porter (Gloucestershire)

Mild Category
Gold - Beckstones, Black Dog Freddy (Cumbria)
Silver - Rudgate, Ruby Mild (York)
Bronze - Rhymney, Dark (Merthyr Tydfil)

Bitter Category
Gold - Triple fff, Alton's Pride (Hampshire)
Silver - Lees, Bitter (Manchester)
Joint Bronze - Jarrow, Rivet Catcher (Tyne & Wear) and Surrey Hills, Ranmore Ale (Surrey)

Best Bitter Category
Gold - Skinner's, Betty Stogs (Cornwall)
Silver - Highland, Scapa Special (Orkney)
Bronze - Cairngorm, Nessies Monster Mash (Highlands) and Timothy Taylor, Landlord (West Yorkshire)

Strong Bitter Category
Gold - Thornbridge, Jaipur IPA (Derbyshire)
Silver - Fuller's, ESB (London)
Bronze - Highland, Orkney Blast (Orkney)

Golden Ale Category
Gold - Otley, O1 (Mid Glamorgan)
Silver - Loddon, Ferryman's Gold (Oxfordshire)
Bronze - Skinner's, Cornish Knocker Ale (Cornwall)

Speciality Beer Category
Gold - Otley, OGarden (Mid Glamorgan)
Silver - Wentworth, Bumble Beer (South Yorkshire)
Bronze - Nethergate, Umbel Magna (Essex)

CAMRA Bottled-Conditioned Beers
Gold - WyeValley, Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout
Silver - Fullers, 1845
Bronze - Wells and Young's, Special London Ale