Bristol Beer Factory’s Independence Crowned CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain 2026
Posted on: 29 May 2026Bristol Beer Factory's crown jewel product Independence, the popular 4.6% pale ale has taken the prize for CAMRA's Champion Beer of Britain 2026, the highest honour in UK brewing.
The announcement was made last week at the prestigious Cambridge Beer Festival, where Independence rose above an incredible list of fierce competitors to take the top title. The list of judges were compiled of industry experts who carried out a rigorous blind tasting process.
The award ranks Independence among the most iconic beers in British brewing history and brings national recognition to Bristol Beer Factory for its enduring dedication to cask ale.
Sam Burrows, Managing Director at Bristol Beer Factory, said: “Over the last few years, we’ve stayed away from awards you must pay to enter, to get the call from CAMRA was a real surprise! Furthermore, discovering the process of how you’re nominated and the judging process gives everyone involved with BBF a real sense of achievement.
He continued “Our commitment to cask has never wavered, our team live and breathe cask. It represents beer in its purest form, as we say at BBF, cask is king!”
Brewed at Bristol Beer Factory’s Ashton Vale brewery, Independence has been a flagship beer for more than 15 years — a bold, contemporary pale ale that combines vibrant American hop character with the smooth drinkability of traditional cask ale.
Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Champion Beer of Britain competition is widely considered the world’s most prestigious cask beer award, with judging carried out over a two-year period through regional heats and several rounds of blind tasting.
Following the conclusion of this years award, a CAMRA representative stated:
“A pale strong beer. Strong enticing citrus nose, with piney hops. Caramelised citrus, tangerines, grapefruit and digestive biscuits lead to a dry peppery bittersweet finish, which lingers. Refreshing, full flavoured, fruity and smooth.”
The win was a marquee moment for Bristol Beer Factory, as well as the wider independent craft beer scene, celebrating the continued strenth and relevence of cask beer in the UK, as well as its ever growing competition.