The brewing team at Butcombe Brewing Co is proud to announce that Butcombe Original has just been crowned Category Winner for Best Session Bitter in the 2025 Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Beer Awards. In the announcement, made at Cambridge Beer Festival last weekend, CAMRA named the top IPAs, milds, bitters, blonds, pales and golden beers in the UK.
The winners in the six categories will join the finalists announced at the Great British Beer Festival Winter, and all 12 will battle it out to be crowned Champion Beer of Britain 2025. The overall winner will be announced at the Great British Beer Festival, NEC Birmingham, in August.
Mike Jordan, Head Brewer, Butcombe Brewing Co says: “Winning Best Session Bitter in these prestigious awards and against such stiff competition is a huge honour — it celebrates balance, drinkability, and craftsmanship at its finest. A huge thank you to our amazing brewers, our passionate team, and everyone who enjoys Butcombe Original – the true beer lovers — for getting us this far!
“This means we’re officially one of the best beers in the country and we’re now heading to the final round of judging at the iconic Great British Beer Festival, where the Champion Beer of Britain will be decided.”
CAMRA Awards Director, Gary Timmins, said: “This was a fiercely fought battle, and the winners and category runners-up should be extremely proud of themselves. Champion Beer of Britain showcases the best of cask beer in the UK, with beers entered by CAMRA members and volunteer tasting panels before being judged using a ‘blind’ process, so it’s a truly independent competition.”
Butcombe Original, one of the first beers produced at the brewery back in the 1970s, and one of the most decorated in the country, outranks brands such as Tribute and Doombar making it the South West’s favourite beer.
For more information about Butcombe, please visit butcombebrewery.co.uk.
(Main picture – Ollie Flemming – Head of Free Trade Sales, Butcombe Brewing Co).
