Crouch Vale Brewery’s Amarillo Recognized as Champion Beer of Britain

An Essex-based establishment, Crouch Vale Brewery, is marking a significant achievement after its beer, Amarillo, was designated the Champion Beer of Britain by The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), a prestigious accolade. Colin Bocking, 69, who established the brewery in South Woodham Ferrers in 1981, commented on the victory, stating it was “good news – it’s always a lovely surprise when this sort of thing happens, it felt great”. The Camra awards, which have a long history, are presented to acknowledge the finest pubs, clubs, beers, and ciders across the UK. Mr. Bocking mentioned he was approximately 26 years old when he launched the enterprise, which he has managed alongside his wife, Fiona, for 43 years. He elaborated on his career path, stating, “It was a complete career change for me. I was in the civil service. I was administering pensions and benefits, and I thought there was probably more to life, and I came over to this.” The couple received their award at a ceremony held in Nottinghamshire on Wednesday. The competition involved evaluating numerous beers from various breweries nationwide before the ultimate victors were selected. Crouch Vale Brewery’s beer first secured a victory in the Premium Ale category, subsequently earning the title of Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2024. This marks the third Camra award for the brewery, following previous wins in 2005 and 2006. Mr. Bocking further commented on the competitive landscape, saying, “There are thousands of beers out there – a lot of them are very good and the odds of winning an award like this are always fairly slim, because there is so much competition. So to win it is a lovely surprise, because the odds are always against it.”