Snowflake Beer Wins Silver at Great British Beer Festival

Strategic Insights -

Sedgley's Sarah Hughes Brewery has won a top honor at the 2025 Great British Beer Festival. The brewery's Snowflake beer took silver in the Champion Beer of Britain Awards, beating out 11 other finalists. According to judges, Snowflake is a "gorgeous barley wine and a classic example of the style" with a "complex" flavor and "sweet bitter marmalade on a smooth palate."

Key Takeaways:

  • Snowflake beer from Sarah Hughes Brewery in Sedgley won silver in the Champion Beer of Britain Awards 2025 at the Great British Beer Festival.
  • The Champion Beer of Britain awards are considered among the most respected in the beer world, taking two years of independent blind tastings and judging to complete.
  • Snowflake was crowned the best offering in the Barely Wines and Strong Old Ales category and finished runner-up overall.
  • Judges described Snowflake as a "gorgeous barley wine and a classic example of the style" with a "complex" flavor and "sweet bitter marmalade on a smooth palate."
  • CAMRA Awards Director, Gary Timmins, said: "This is a vigorous and fiercely independent competition. I hope everyone will join me on the Great British Beer Festival floor, where you can try all our final twelve beers, each one is top quality, and each brewer deserves a congratulations in their own right."
  • The Great British Beer Festival has been held outside of London for the first time, taking over the NEC in Birmingham.
  • First prize went to Penzance Mild, with Church End Brewery, located near Nuneaton, taking home the bronze for its Fallen Angel pale ale.
  • This is the first award win for Sarah Hughes Brewery since the death of John Hughes, who restored and reopened the brewery in memory of his grandmother, Sarah.
  • The Great British Beer Festival is running at the NEC until Saturday (August 9).

Statistics:

  • 12 beers were finalists in the Champion Beer of Britain Awards 2025.
  • Snowflake beer took silver in the awards, finishing runner-up overall.
  • 11 other finalists vied for top honors with Snowflake.
  • First prize went to Penzance Mild, with Church End Brewery taking bronze for its Fallen Angel pale ale.
  • The Great British Beer Festival has been running at the NEC until Saturday (August 9).
  • The festival has taken place at multiple locations, including London and Birmingham.

Sources:

  • Great British Beer Festival
  • CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale)