‘Old Freddy Walker’ from Moor Beer Company, Bridgwater, Somerset was named as the Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2004 by a panel of judges at CAMRA’s National Winter Ales Festival in Burton on Trent. ‘Old Freddy Walker’, named after an elderly real ale lover in the village of Ashcott, near Bridgwater where the brewery is based, is a 7.3% ABV Barley Wine and described in the 2004 edition of the Good Beer Guide as a ‘rich, dark, strong ale with a fruity complex taste, leaving a fruitcake finish’.

CAMRA’s Mike Benner said, “It’s an incredible achievement for everyone at Moor. There are many hundreds of old ales, barley wines, stouts, porters and other winter beer styles so the competition is always stiff. I am sure there will be plenty of beer drinkers at the National Winter Ales Festival eager to give this fantastic tipple a try over the next few days! ”

The silver prize went to Gales brewery, which is based in Hampshire, for their superb ‘Festival Mild’. The Bronze award went to Shepherd Neame brewery from Kent for their ‘Original Porter’.

Northern breweries also did well in the Competition. Category winners included a Joint Bronze to Theak ston Old Peculier in the Old Ales and Strong Milds category; and in the Barley Wines category a Silver for Robinson’s Old Tom and Bronze to Big Lamp of Newcastle upon Tyne’s Blackout.

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