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CAMRA - North Hampshire Branch This Page:           Beer Lines - CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain 2011 - Mighty Oak Brewery, Oscar Wilde Published: 2 August 2011   Essex brewer judged Best in Britain! - Oscar Wilde writes his name in the beer history books!   After a year of local tasting panels and regional heats leading up to the finals, CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, is today proud to announce that Mighty Oak brewery's Oscar Wilde has been crowned the 'Best Beer' in Britain at the Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London.     Oscar Wilde, which has an ABV of 3.7%, is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2011 as a 'roasty dark mild with suggestions of forest fruits and dark chocolate. A sweet taste yields to a more bitter finish'. 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)   The Maldon brewed real ale was judged the Supreme Champion over a host of other finalists in 7 different beer categories (Bitters, Best Bitters, Strong Bitters, Golden Ales, Milds, Winter Beers*, and the Speciality class), including beers from both small microbrewers and large regional brewers. Roger Protz, of the Final judging panel, spoke in praise of today's winner. He said: 'Oscar Wilde was a stand out winner, universally praised by the judges for its overall quality. Once again a dark beer has triumphed over paler beers! 'It's a beer with great depth of character, and for the style has a lot of hop bitterness as well. It proves that a dark beer can be refreshing even in very hot weather.' An elated John Boyce, Managing Director of Mighty Oak brewery, on hearing the results, said: 'I always had a lot of confidence in Oscar Wilde as it was successful from day one. We've been brewing it for at least 10 years, winning prizes ever since. Not bad for an Essex beer!' Mighty Oak brewery's victory comes in the wake of CAMRA's new research out today showing how in just 5 years, the number of drinkers trying real ale for the first time has risen by a staggering 40% (from 37% of UK drinkers in 2006 to 52% in the present day).   Mighty Oak Brewery: www.mightyoakbrewing.co.uk   With Mighty Oak securing the Gold award for 2011, this year's Silver went to Marble brewery's Chocolate, whilst the Bronze award went to Salopian brewery's Shropshire Gold.   Complete List of Champion Beer of Britain 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)   << BACK TO ARTICLES ^ BACK TO TOP ^

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