2005 GBBF Winners

[MeridianFC]

I meant to post these from the last issue of CAMRA's "Beer" supplement to "What's Brewing" to see if any of our GB based folks had comments. A good number of these I'm not familiar with. That said there are a few well loved brews there, notably the Cairngorm Tradewinds which is a favorite of mine.

CBOB
Crouch Vale Brewers Gold

Milds
Gold - Rutland Panther
Silver - Brains Dark
Bronze - Elgood's Black Dog

Bitters
Gold - Woodfore's Wherry
Silver - Holdens Black Country Bitter
Joint Bronze - RCH PG Steam, Belvoir Star

Best Bitter
Gold - Harvey's Sussex Bitter
Silver - Mighty Oak Burntwood Bitter
Joint Bronze - Timothy Taylor Landlord, Olde Swan Entire

Strong Ale
Gold - Hanby Nutcracker
Silver - Bullmastiff Son of a Bitch
Bronze - Fullers ESB

Specialty Bitter
Gold - Cairngorm Tradewinds
Silver - Young's Waggledance
Joint Bronze - Daleside Morrocco Ale, Ridley's Rumpus

Real Ale in a Bottle
Gold - Durham Evensong
Silver - Young's Special London Ale
Bronze - Titanic Stout

[stronk]

I've heard of about half of those. Some I had at the GBBF itself, in fact.

I disagree with the CBOB this year. Sure, it's good, but not amazing. Maybe I'll have to go back and taste it again. I also think there could have been better mentions in the mild section.
I'm not quite sure why Fuller's ESB was awarded a prize in the strong ale section. I suppose Fuller's entered it in different categories to increase the likelihood of winning. Still, something calling itself an ESB really shouldn't be allowed out of the Best Bitter section, IMO.

[steveh]

Originally posted by stronk
I'm not quite sure why Fuller's ESB was awarded a prize in the strong ale section.

That was my question - odd, but interesting that it placed.

BTW - what's CBOB?

S.

[Derekt2]

Champion Best Beer of Britain.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Derekt2
Champion Best Beer of Britain.

Thanks.

S.

[HogieWan]

Extra Special Bitter is not the same style (according to the BJCP) as a best bitter. There's ordinary, best/special, extra special. As an ESB is stronger than a best bitter, it should go in a category for stronger ales.

[steveh]

But the BJCP has a category for strong bitter, where ESB is placed, and strong ale - for beers such as old ales.

I think what we're seeing is the different categorization that the GBBF uses, as contrasted with the BJCP (mostly a US convention).

S.

[HogieWan]

obviously, it's a different classification, but I was just noting that the BJCP distinguishes ESBs from best bitters as separate categories

[steveh]

Originally posted by HogieWan
BJCP distinguishes ESBs from best bitters as separate categories

Understood, but Bitter, Best Bitter, and ESB are all under the same category - where Strong Ales are separate. See what I'm saying? http://www.mv.com/ipusers/slack/bjcp/styleguide04.html Note that Fuller's ESB is one of the examples in the last category.

S.

[HogieWan]

I meant a separate SUBcategory, as in best bitter is 4B and ESB is 4C

[chazwicke]

I read those in Whats Brewing too. I've had at least 10 of the beers including CBOB. I really love the Woodefords Wherry and Landlord is always a sure bet. I was saddened to see Ridley get bought out by Greene King. I like the Ridleys beers and I've enjoyed a few of their pubs too which I think is why Greene King bought them. For the pubs.

[MeridianFC]

It's my understanding the category classification system for the GBBF is based on o.g. as far as the bitter/best bitter/strong categories.

[steveh]

Originally posted by HogieWan
I meant a separate SUBcategory, as in best bitter is 4B and ESB is 4C

D'oh!! The point I was comparing is that the BJCP has a category for Strong Ales (11), and Strong Bitter or Extra Special Bitter aren't a SUB category of that - as it appears they could be at the GBBF.

as Meridian alludes, I'm pretty sure there is a different system of categorization in the UK than the BJCP styles - not sure where to find that out though, CAMRA?

S.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by steveh
not sure where to find that out though, CAMRA?

S.

t'would be a good start

[stronk]

I was saddened to see Ridley get bought out by Greene King
But we should all be thankful that Brakspear is now being brewed by Wychwood (and I know from tasting that they're doing a good job of it).

[Richard English]

My thoughts on the winners:

CBOB
Crouch Vale Brewers Gold - not tried it

Milds
Gold - Rutland Panther - not tried it
Silver - Brains Dark - a fine choice
Bronze - Elgood's Black Dog - another fine choice

Bitters
Gold - Woodfore's Wherry - it should read Woodford's - and a grand beer
Silver - Holdens Black Country Bitter - I wouldn't have called this a classic
Joint Bronze - RCH PG Steam, Belvoir Star - not tried

Best Bitter
Gold - Harvey's Sussex Bitter - one of the very best,bresed very near to my new house.
Silver - Mighty Oak Burntwood Bitter - not tried
Joint Bronze - Timothy Taylor Landlord, - and excellent beer; Olde Swan Entire - not tried

Strong Ale
Gold - Hanby Nutcracker - not tried
Silver - Bullmastiff Son of a Bitch - not tried
Bronze - Fullers ESB - and excellent beer (dangerously easy to drink)

Specialty Bitter
Gold - Cairngorm Tradewinds - not tried
Silver - Young's Waggledance - very good if you like a light beers with a hint of honey
Joint Bronze - Daleside Morrocco Ale, Ridley's Rumpus - not tried

Real Ale in a Bottle
Gold - Durham Evensong - not tried
Silver - Young's Special London Ale - always have a bottle around
Bronze - Titanic Stout - an awesome brew!

I must update myself on some of the beers I've not tried - but it shouldn't be too hard as we have a local beer festivals every weekend for the next month...

[chazwicke]

There are many festival coming up in my area too including A real ale tasting hosted by SPBFW

[Richard English]

Quote "...A real ale tasting hosted by SPBFW..."

I wasn't aware that SPBFW had a US chapter.

[chazwicke]

Yes and an active one at that. In MId Atlantic Area. Both Meridian and I are members.

http://www.spbw.org/

Chesapeake Chapter

[Richard English]

Interesting that SPBW, in the UK a far smaller and less influential organisation than CAMRA, seems to be better represented than CAMRA in the USA.

CAMRA's US chapters seem rather poor, if feedback from others on this site is to be believed.

[chazwicke]

I think that is true. But I'll bet the parent organization has a fair lot of Americans. I'm a life member of CAMRA. I think more people in the USA have knowledge of CAMRA than SPBFW and that number is growing.

[MeridianFC]

I think it's pretty much just the Midatlantic Chapter that's large and active as far as the SPBW. I don't even know if there are any other US chapters. I imagine the fact that it's only $10 to join and is far more social in nature than CAMRA, not that CAMRA is not very social but it is primiarily a consumerist organization, that attracts folks to SPBW.

Whilst I'm very happy to support CAMRA and will continue to do so it is really a specifically British organization so I can see why Americans might have no interest in it.

[Richard English]

Quote "...t is really a specifically British organization so I can see why Americans might have no interest in it...."

Whereas it is true is was a British creation that does not mean it has to remain the preserve of the British. CAMRA is the only consumer organisation that fights for the rights of the beer drinker, in the UK and overseas, and it will be able to do so much better if it gets more support from overseas.

Remember, had it not been for CAMRA's salvation of the traditional British brewing industry, it is unlikely that the US craft beer revival and the subsequent growth of fine beer production in the USA would have happened. CAMRA was the match that lit the bonfire; that the bonfire now burns more brightly than the match does not diminish the match's importance.