The following beers are shortlisted in the Champion Beer of London
(CBOL) competition. Judging will take place on Thursday, with the winners announced in the afternoon.
Gluten Free = Brewed to a gluten-free recipe (not certified Gluten-free unless stated in tasting notes.)
| Style | Brewery | Beer | ABV | Town / Country | Tasting Notes | Location | Dietary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPA | Anspach & Hobday | The IPA | 6.0% | Beddington - Greater London | Easy drinking, hoppy gold coloured IPA with hints of lemons, grapefruit and spicy peppercorns overlaid by a biscuity malt character, which is also in the bitter dry finish.. | HP1 | Vegan |
| Bitter | Anspach & Hobday | The Ordinary Bitter | 3.7% | Beddington - Greater London | Light brown beer with malty aroma .The spicy and resinous hop and biscuit malt flavours combine well. A subtle bitterness with sweet malt emerging in the aftertaste.. | HP2 | |
| Porter and Stout | Beerblefish | 1820 Porter | 6.6% | Walthamstow - Greater London | Brett nose with dark roast and black treacle. The latter is also in the smooth, sweet palate balanced by roasty chocolate and raisins. Finish starts spicy fading in the dry slightly bitter finish with some sweetness. | HP3 | |
| Mild | Beerblefish | Lady Mildmay | 3.8% | Walthamstow - Greater London | A traditional dark mild with a light body, low bitterness and chocolatey notes. | HP4 | |
| Pale, Blond and Golden Ale | Brick | Peckham Pale | 4.5% | Deptford - Greater London | Well-balanced, refreshing hazy golden/amber coloured beer with mango, papaya and ripe peach with a soupçon of sweet orange underneath. Subtle bready malt notes leading to a little bitterness on the finish.. | HP5 | Vegan |
| Brown and Red Ale, Old Ale and Strong Mild | East London | Nightwatchman | 4.5% | Leyton - Greater London | Dark ruby brown complex beer . Peach, caramelised fruit, treacly toffee all balanced by bitter, nutty and roasted malt notes. Slightly dry aftertaste. | HP6 | Vegan |
| Bitter | Five Points | Best | 4.1% | Hackney - Greater London | Fruity full flavoured, well balanced amber bitter with earthy hops, sweet caramel and a hint of apricot on the nose. Flavour has a little dry roasty character overlaid with caramel, nuts and orange. A lingering dry finish with a hint of spicy hops and a developing bitterness. A little orange peel on the palate.. | HP7 | Vegan |
| Pale, Blond and Golden Ale | Five Points | Pale | 4.4% | Hackney - Greater London | Well-balanced amber-gold pale ale with biscuit, lemon/grapefruit and some tropical notes. Hop character starts floral becoming spicy in the dryish finish with a developing bitterness. Aroma of fruit and biscuit.. | HP8 | Vegan |
| Porter and Stout | Five Points | Railway Porter | 4.8% | Hackney - Greater London | Smoky Jet black porter with raisins, roasty dark chocolate and a touch of marmalade and dark stone fruits. Finish is bitter roasty dry and lingering. Smoky dark chocolate and sweet caramelised fruit aromas. | HP9 | Vegan |
| Pale, Blond and Golden Ale | Five Points | XPA | 4.0% | Hackney - Greater London | Easy drinking smooth golden ale with sweet citrus nose. Palate is of grapefruit, biscuit and tropical fruit fading in the finish with initial earthy and spicy hops becoming bitter and slightly dry. | HP10 | Gluten Free |
| Bitter | Fuller's | HSB | 4.8% | Chiswick - Greater London | Dates and dried fruit with some spicy hops in the nose adding to the caramelised orange and treacle in the flavour of this smooth brown beer. Malty throughout with a bittersweet finish. | HP11 | |
| Pale, Blond and Golden Ale | Hammerton | N7 | 5.2% | Barnsbury - Greater London | Smooth full bodied amber pale ale. Sweet honey on the palate with marmalade, earthy hops and a hint of apricot. Finish is spicy, sweet overlaid with a dry bitterness. Aroma of honey and caramelised citrus. . | HP12 | |
| Porter and Stout | London Brewing | 100 Oysters Stout | 4.6% | North Finchley - Greater London | Sweet chocolaty treacle and soft dark fruit on this smooth stout. Finish is long, dry roast with a little bitterness. | HP13 | |
| Mild | London Brewing | Flying The Mags | 3.8% | North Finchley - Greater London | Well balanced easy drinking dark brown mild. Fruity and nutty aroma hint of chocolate and coffee. Sweet malt with chocolate and a little roast. Hops are there but minimal. Nutty ripe fruit flavours. Ends sweet malty and hint of roast. | HP14 | |
| Brown and Red Ale, Old Ale and Strong Mild | Portobello | Chestnut Ale | 4.5% | North Kensington - Greater London | American style brown ale with roasty chocolate nose with a little fruit. Flavour is strongly of caramelised citrus and sultanas; malty toffee and chocolate then takes over leading to a dry roasty finish that remains fruity with a faint hoppy spice note. | HP15 | |
| Speciality - Differently produced | Portobello | Market Porter | 4.6% | North Kensington - Greater London | Chocolate is balanced in the aroma and flavour by some red fruits and tart lemon notes from the added Rye creating a complex very drinkable dark brown porter. Finish is lingering, starting sweet then becoming dry with a little roast. | HP16 | |
| IPA | Redemption | Big Chief | 5.5% | Tottenham - Greater London | Gold coloured New World IPA with biscuit and hops throughout. Grapefruit and lemon on the palate and a growing bitterness that remains in the dry, sweet finish where the hops are earthy and spicy.Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Motueka. | HP17 | |
| Porter and Stout | Redemption | Fellowship Porter | 5.1% | Tottenham - Greater London | Dark brown sweetish smooth porter with a mix of liquorice, treacle, damsons, raisins and roast coffee and chocolate notes. A pleasant burnt roast gives dry bitter overtones that balances the sweetness. Roasted malt on nose with a trace of hops and a little black treacle. Bittersweet aftertaste overlaid with faint spicy hops.Hops: Bramling Cross, WGV. | HP18 | |
| Pale, Blond and Golden Ale | Redemption | Trinity | 3.0% | Tottenham - Greater London | Three hops (Columbus, Cascade, Chinook) produce thirst quenching golden ale with strong hoppy character and fruity flavours of lemon and grapefruit. A little honey biscuit provides a balance to the building dry bitterness and the pithy citrus notes.. | HP19 | |
| Bitter | Sambrook's | Junction | 4.5% | Wandsworth - Greater London | Smooth, full bodied tawny premium bitter with sweet caramelised orange, toffee, sultanas and spicy hops that develop on the gentle growing bitter dryish finish. Aroma is roasty, slightly sweet overlaid with sultanas. | HP20 | |
| Speciality - Flavoured | Sambrook's | Lavender Hill | 4.5% | Wandsworth - Greater London | Sweetish, refreshing, easy drinking amber beer. Fruit on the nose and palate gives way to a slightly dry bitter finish with hops and orange peel. Floral perfumed notes. | HP21 | |
| Porter and Stout | Sambrook's | Powerhouse Porter | 4.9% | Wandsworth - Greater London | Dark brown porter with a pleasant roasted malt nose. Flavour is of coffee, sweet milk chocolate, currants, spice and a hint of liquorice with an underlying roasty bitterness. These flavours are also present in the dry finish. | HP22 | |
| Pale, Blond and Golden Ale | Sambrook's | Pumphouse Pale | 4.2% | Wandsworth - Greater London | Refreshing golden beer with a hint of citrus aroma becoming more pronounced on the palate with spicy hops, digestive biscuit and a hint of vanilla. The finish is slightly bitter, dry with peppery notes. Aroma is sweet and fruity. | HP23 | |
| IPA | Signature | Backstage IPA | 5.6% | Walthamstow - Greater London | Bitterness and fruity hops are present in this amber coloured, unfined IPA, overlaid with some banana and biscuity malty notes. Long lingering dry finish. | HP24 | |
| Speciality - Flavoured | Signature | Nightliner Coffee Porter | 5.7% | Walthamstow - Greater London | Smoky black porter with dark roast coffee dominating with hints of dark fruit, dark treacle and a dry toasty bitterness. | HP25 | |
| Bitter | Southwark | Bermondsey Best | 4.4% | Bermondsey - Greater London | A well balanced best bitter. Nutty and caramelised fruit with a slight pithy citrus character completed by a toffee sweetness. Finish is spicy, bitter and dry. Aroma is of sweet caramel and fruit. | HP26 | |
| Porter and Stout | Spartan | Cerberus | 6.2% | Bermondsey - Greater London | Rich, smooth, creamy black Porter with aromas of sweet treacle, dark chocolate, coffee and dried fruits. These flavours continue into the palate with a hint of smoke and some dark red fruit. The long finish is roasty bitter overlaid with an increasing dryness and a trace of warming spice.Hops: East Kent Goldings. Malts: Maris Otter, Crystal, Chocolate and Black. | HP27 | |
| Mild | Tap East | East End Mild | 4.5% | Stratford - Greater London | Ruby dark brown mild. Roasty chocolate notes throughout. The palate has treacle toffee and damson fruits fading in the cocoa finish. | HP28 | |
| Brown and Red Ale, Old Ale and Strong Mild | Twickenham | Red Sky | 4.1% | Twickenham - Greater London | Easy drinking red ale with sweet citrus marmalade, chocolate, an increasing dryness and gentle spiciness which lingers in the finish. | HP29 | |
| Bitter | Wimbledon | Common Pale Ale | 3.7% | Wimbledon - Greater London | Light brown well balanced session bitter with hops, orange, biscuit and caramel on the nose and flavour that starts sweetish and then the bitterness comes through. The finish is bitter and dry. | HP30 |