News from the front at the GBBF

It was quite a day in the trenches at the trade bash for the 30th Great British Beer Festival (see blog below). Eight hours of wondering where the next beer was coming from among the 450ish cask ales on offer. Alarm had spread earlier in the week when it was revealed that 15,000 pints en-route for the fest had been stolen from a haulier's yard in Lincoln. But we were reassured that no-one would go thirsty as there were 335,000 pints left. Phew, that's OK then.

And, much to the surprise of many, a mild beer stole the day: Hobson's Mild (3.2%) was voted Supreme Champion Beer of Britain, the first of this style to snatch the crown since Moorhouse's Black Cat triumphed back in 2000. So much rejoicing in Shropshire if Nick Davis and colleagues ever made it back to Cleobury Mortimer.

Announcing the results, Camra Good Beer Guide editor Roger Protz said of this tipple: "It's bursting with flavour and, unusually for a mild, it's got plenty of hop character." And Roger knows his onions when it comes to hops as it were - so let's hope some enterprising B&P beer buyer gets a hold of some before it's all sold.

Roger also mused that it was good to see a classic copper coloured brew winning in this era of pale golds. Yes, I think he's right. Although partial to the contemporary golden beers myself, it is good that a traditional ale style is celebrated once again - and it was a close thing, with Mighty Oak's Maldon Gold (3.8%abv) breathing down its neck to take silver overall. Incidentally, this scored a weighty four out of five points from the B&P festival hit-squad led by Graham Price - so clearly someone else knows their hoppy onions

The bronze gong went to the Green Jack Brewery in Suffolk for the mighty Ripper a 8.5% abv barley wine that got through to the final as the champ at the Camra Winter Festival. So far this brew remains a stranger to me, and at that strength I hope will never become close friend.

For me it was also wonderful to see Castle Rock's Harvest Pale take gold in the Bitters section (see B&P beer list) - I think this is a terrific beer and another tribute to the beer buying acumen of Dave at Harkers, who spotted it's potential some time ago. And the Purple Moose Brewery, a regular supplier to several of the group's pubs, also showed its mettle in the Best Bitters section with Glaslyn Ale collecting gold. Well done Lawrence.

It was a terrific day, but for me there's no rest: now where's that Ripper?