Champion Beer of Scotland

The prestigious Champion Beer of Scotland award is named after one of CAMRA’s greatest Scottish activists who was lost to leukaemia in 1992, aged just 45. It was first presented in 1996 and the list of winners permits insight into the development of Scottish real ale over 24 years. Caledonian won with 80 shillings ale in 1996 and 1997, followed by Deuchar’s IPA in 1998. Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted won twice (1999 and 2002). Orkney succeeded with Dark Island in 2000 and 2003; and Raven Ale in 2009. Inveralmond won in 2001 with Ossian’s Ale. Cairngorm triumphed with Trade Winds (2004) and Black Gold (2005 and 2015). Kelburn won twice, with Cart Blanche (2006) and Dark Moor (2014). Isle of Skye’s Cuillin Beast was champion in 2011; followed by Fyne Ales Jarl (2013); Tryst Raj IPA (2016); and Loch Lomond Silkie Stout (2017).

Excellent brewers should be remembered: Russell Sharp (Caledonian); Ken Brooker (Harviestoun); Roger White and Andrew Fulton (Orkney); Fergus Clark (Inveralmond); Sean Tomlinson (Cairngorm); Derek Moore (Kelburn); Pam and Angus McRuary (Isle of Skye); Wil Wood (Fyne Ales); John McGarva (Tryst); Fiona and Euan Maceachern (Loch Lomond).

Rob Hill has brewed an amazing five different Scottish Champion beers: four with Highland Brewing – Dark Munro (2007), Scapa Special (2008), Orkney Blast (2010) and Orkney Best (2012); and one with Swannay – Orkney IPA (2018).

Considering that Orkney, Highland Brewing, and Windswept all feature in Aberdeen and the Northern Isles, our branch has won the title nine times!

CAMRA members can complete Tasting Cards to comment upon the quality of the beer they drink through the year. These are submitted to a central coordinator. Accumulate enough good reviews via the Tasting Cards, and beers can be added to the shortlist of beers of each style. Scottish CAMRA beer festivals often host qualifying beer-style competitions, which help beers gain entry to the national Champion Beer of Scotland competition.

Former winners of Champion Beer of Scotland are:

Champion Beer of Scotland Awards

Award First Second Third
2023 CBOS 2023 - Cairngorm Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold
2022 CBOS 2022 - No Award
2021 CBOS 2021 - Fyne Ales Fyne Jarl Fyne Ales (Cairndow) Jarl Orkney Dark Island Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Dark Island Loch Lomond Silkie Stout , Dark Storm Five Kingdoms Loch Lomond Brewery (Dumbarton) Silkie Stout jointly with Five Kingdoms Dark Storm
2020 CBOS 2020 - No Award
2019 CBOS 2019 Windswept Windswept Weizen Badge Windswept Brewing (Lossiemouth) Weizen Broughton Old Jock Badge Broughton Ales (Biggar) Old Jock Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold
2018 CBOS 2018 Swannay Swannay Orkney IPA Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Orkney IPA Black Isle Hibernator Black Isle Brewery (Munlochy) Hibernator Orkney Red MacGregor Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Red MacGregor
2017 CBOS 2017 Loch Lomond Loch Lomond Silkie Stout Loch Lomond Brewery (Dumbarton) Silkie Stout Cromarty Rogue Wave Cromarty Brewing (Cromarty) Rogue Wave Isle of Skye Young Pretender , Sulwath Black Galloway Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Young Pretender, jointly with Sulwath Black Galloway
2016 CBOS 2016 Tryst Tryst RAJ IPA Tryst Brewery (Falkirk) RAJ IPA Ayr Rabbies porter Ayr Brewing (Ayr) Rabbie's Porter Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold
2015 CBOS 2015 Cairngorm Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold Swannay Scapa Special Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Scapa Special Cromarty Red Rocker Cromarty Brewing (Cromarty) Red Rocker
2014 CBOS 2014 Kelburn Kelburn Dark Moor Kelburn Brewing (Barrhead) Dark Moor Ayr Rabbies porter Ayr Brewing (Ayr) Rabbie's Porter Fyne Jarl Fyne Ales (Cairndow) Jarl
2013 CBOS 2013 Fyne Fyne Jarl Fyne Ales (Cairndow) Jarl Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold Swannay Magnus Swannay Brewery (Orkney) St. Magnus Ale
2012 CBOS 2012 Swannay Swannay Orkney Best Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Orkney Best Swannay Orkney IPA Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Orkney IPA Fyne Maverick Fyne Ales (Cairndow) Maverick
2011 CBOS 2011 Skye Isle of Skye Cuillin Beast Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Cuillin Beast Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold Houston Peters Well Houston Brewing (Houston) (St.) Peter's Well
2010 CBOS 2010 Swannay Swannay Orkney Blast Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Orkney Blast Black Isle Hibernator Black Isle Brewery (Munlochy) Hibernator Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold
2009 CBOS 2009 Orkney Orkney Raven Ale Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Raven Ale Orkney Red MacGregor Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Red MacGregor Caledonian XPA Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) XPA
2008 CBOS 2008 Swannay Swannay Scapa Special Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Scapa Special Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted Swannay Orkney Best Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Orkney Best
2007 CBOS 2007 Swannay Swannay Dark Munro Swannay Brewery (Orkney) Dark Munro Fyne Maverick Fyne Ales (Cairndow) Maverick Fyne Pipers Gold Fyne Ales (Cairndow) Piper's Gold
2006 CBOS 2006 Kelburn Kelburn Cart Blanche Kelburn Brewing (Barrhead) Cart Blanche Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold Cairngorm Trade Winds Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Trade Winds
2005 CBOS 2005 Cairngorm Cairngorm Black Gold Badge Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Black Gold Cairngorm Trade Winds Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Trade Winds Isle of Skye Black Cuillin Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Black Cuillin
2004 CBOS 2004 Cairngorm Cairngorm Trade Winds Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore) Trade Winds Isle of Skye Black Cuillin Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Black Cuillin Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted
2003 CBOS 2003 Orkney Orkney Dark Island Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Dark Island Isle of Skye Black Cuillin Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Black Cuillin Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted
2002 CBOS 2002 Harviestoun Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted Orkney Dark Island Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Dark Island Orkney Red MacGregor Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Red MacGregor
2001 CBOS 2001 Inveralmond Inveralmond Ossian Inveralmond Brewery (Perth) Ossian Houston Peters Well Houston Brewing (Houston) St. Peter's Well Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted
2000 CBOS 2000 Orkney Orkney Dark Island Orkney Brewery (Orkney) Dark Island Houston Peters Well Houston Brewing (Houston) St. Peters Well Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted
1999 CBOS 1999 Harviestoun Harviestoun Bitter Twisted Harviestoun Brewery (Alva) Bitter and Twisted Isle of Skye Red Cuillin Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Red Cuillin Caledonian Deuchars IPA Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) Deuchars IPA
1998 CBOS 1998 Caledonian Caledonian Deuchars IPA Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) Deuchars IPA Caledonian 80 Shilling Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) 80 Shilling Isle of Skye Red Cuillin Isle of Skye Brewing (Uig) Red Cuillin
1997 CBOS 1997 Caledonian Caledonian 80 Shilling Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) 80 Shilling Belhaven 80 Shilling Belhaven Brewery (Dunbar) 80 Shilling Caledonian Deuchars IPA Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) Deuchars IPA
1996 CBOS 1996 Caledonian Caledonian 80 Shilling Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) 80 Shilling Caledonian Deuchars IPA Caledonian Brewery (Edinburgh) Deuchars IPA Broughton Oatmeal Stout Broughton Ales (Biggar) Scottish Oatmeal Stout