Supreme CAMRA Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008

‘Station Porter' voted best winter beer in the land!

30 January 2008 - Wickwar Station Porter from Gloucestershire was named as the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008 by a panel of judges at CAMRA's National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester.

The 6.1% abv porter is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2008 as “A rich, smooth, dark ruby-brown ale. Starts with a roast malt; coffee, chocolate and dark fruit then develops a complex, spicy, bittersweet taste and a long roast finish.”

At the announcement, Steve Prescott, Organiser of the National Winter Ales Festival congratulated Wickwar on its victory. He said, "It's great to see a porter winning the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain competition as this beer style has been in danger from disappearing from the British pub. I sincerely hope people will be inspired to try more porter on the back of Wickwar's victory.”

On hearing the news, Kevin Newbould, Wickwar's Key Accounts Director said, “We are very pleased to have been voted the best winter beer in britain and delighted that everybody feels the same way about this wonderful beer as we do. Let's hope we see a resurgence in people trying more porters in the near future.”

The Silver award went to Robinson's Old Tom and the Bronze to Hop Back Entire Stout.

A panel of CAMRA experts and beer writers at the National Winter Ales Festival (New Century Hall, Manchester) judged the competition. Drinkers at the festival, which ran from 16th to 19th January, were able to sample the winners as well as try over 200 old ales, milds, stouts, porters, barley wines and bitters.

National Winter Ales Festival 2008:

Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008

SUPREME CHAMPION

Gold - Wickwar, Station Porter (Wickwar, Gloucestershire)
Silver - Robinson's, Old Tom (Stockport, Cheshire)
Bronze - Hop Back, Entire Stout (Salisbury, Wiltshire)

CATEGORY WINNERS

Old Ales & Strong Mild Category

Gold - Purple Moose, Dark Side of the Moose (Porthmadog, Gwynedd)
Silver - West Berkshire, Maggs Magnificent Mild (Thatcham, Berkshire)
Bronze - Highland, Dark Munro (Birsay, Orkney)

Stouts

Gold - Hop Back, Entire Stout (Salisbury, Wiltshire)
Silver - Spitting Feathers Old Wavertonian (Waverton, Chester)
Bronze - Spire, Sgt. Pepper Stout (Chesterfield, Derbyshire)

Porters

Gold - Wickwar, Station Porter (Wickwar, Gloucestershire)
Silver - E&S Elland, 1872 Porter (Elland, West Yorkshire)
Bronze - Acorn, Old Moor Porter (Barnsley, South Yorkshire)

Barley Wines

Gold - Robinson's Old Tom (Stockport, Cheshire)
Silver - Durham, Benedictus (Bowburn, Co Durham)
Bronze - Mighty Oak, Saxon Song (Maldon, Essex)