The Champion Beer of Britain is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world. It is the ultimate honour for UK brewers and has helped put many into the national spotlight. It is awarded every year at the trade session of the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF).
The competition starts with individual nominations from CAMRA members and tasting panel nominations, then area competitions.
At the GBBF, the Champion Beer of Britain judging spans real ales across the categories for milds, session bitters, premium bitters, IPAs, session pales/blonds/golden ales and premium pales/blonds/golden ales. These are combined with the Champion Winter Beer of Britain category winners from the GBBF Winter (held in February) – session stouts/porters, strong stouts/porters, brown ales/red ales/old ales/strong milds, barley wines/strong ales, speciality beers (differently produced) and speciality beers (flavoured)– to create a shortlist for the final round of judging.
There is also a competition for the Champion Bottled Beer of Britain with two categories: ABV 4.3% or below and ABV 4.4% or above.
The process for next years competition starts with member voting opening on 1 September until 1 November inclusive and this will be the first year with the new beer style categories, of which there are 12. To vote log in at cbob.camra.org.uk and in the meantime keep an eye on What’s Brewing, the online members’ newspaper for more information.
The Wisewood Inn re-opened their doors under the current ownership in October 2015, relaunching a pub that had struggled for at least ten years under various pub companies , it is now well supported by the local community.
Since previously winning Pub of the Month in July 2017, they have expanded and made lots of positive changes to create an even better environment and the pub now has its very own on-site microbrewery – Loxley Brewery.
The Wisewood Inn has four cask pumps serving Loxley Brewery ales, there are also two guest pumps which are rotated frequently, these pumps have seen many fine local breweries and many more from further afield.
The ‘Cellar Bar’ has also been refurbished to an exceptional standard and is the perfect place to grab a pint in the winter months with the real log fire and candlelight. In the summer months, the roller blinds are opened up on to one of the largest beer gardens in Sheffield and the spectacular views of the Loxley Valley surround. The Cellar Bar is also the perfect place to have a function of any kind.
The pub has also undergone a kitchen extension, serving delicious homemade food every day of the week but the Sunday Roasts are particularly popular!
The Wisewood Inn had been planning on hosting their second beer festival in June which obviously hasn’t been possible, instead advantage has been taken of the closure forced by the Covid-19 lockdown to start work early on the pub refurbishment that was originally planned for later in the year, so the pub will reopen looking great!
The refurbishment has given the pub a new bar and and bar back. They’ve increased the hand-pumps from 5 to 6 and have a new set of keg lines. Their brewery has now started brewing keg beer and they are about to add new fermenters doubling their production capacity. Their beer range has now been rebranded to match their bottle branding with named beers replacing the previous numbered beers and to top it off they have a portable beer bar converted from a vintage Citroen van which in a former life delivered bread in France, so it has moved from selling one yeast product to another.
The pub will be reopening on Monday 6th July operating under the government Covid-19 secure guidelines with table service, contactless payments and reservations required for food. Check out their 
The pub was rescued from dereliction in 2002 and firmly established as a popular real ale pub with the back room added as an extension to cope! The Kelham has two rooms and impressive little beer garden at the rear whilst the bar offers up to 12 well kept cask beers with an effort made to ensure variety of styles, all at fair prices. A simple food menu is served at lunchtime every day except Sunday.
Josh and Louise took over the pub two years ago and has not only maintained the established standards but made some subtle improvements too! Congratulations to both on the award!
PUB REOPENING
With the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the Kelham Island Tavern will reopen on Saturday 4th July with limited capacity in the pub and beer garden. New reduced opening hours will operate – 2pm to 8pm for seated customers, with takeaway drinks available 3pm-7pm. Check their Facebook page for more information.
The Anglers Rest was under threat a few years ago when the pub company that owned it decided to sell and there was a proposal to convert it into residential use, leaving the village with no pub and little other facilities. However thanks to it being listed as an asset of community value, locals were able to get together to form a community enterprise to buy and operate the pub, which is also now home to the village post office and coffee shop, keeping those facilities for this rural community.
The pub itself is comfortable and friendly, offers a selection of real ales including some from local breweries and serves meals and also hosts various events.
PUB REOPENING
During lockdown the Post Office remains open and the pub/cafe is operating as a takeaway and shop.
The pub will be reopening to enjoy food and drink on the premised from Monday 6th July with reduced hours and Covid-19 secure service. Check their 
Josh and Louise took over the running of this established real ale pub two years ago. It has won many awards over the years since reopening in its current guise.
The winning formula continues with the basics of a clean and tidy pub with a civilised atmosphere, varied choice of well kept real ales at reasonable prices and a well tended beer garden, their stamp on the pub is very much evolution rather than revolution – for example they’ve had a bar refit to add more UK craft beer on tap alongside the real ales and European beers and they have upgraded the pub’s lunchtime food offering.
The Kelham Island Tavern is currently open part time Wednesday to Saturday for take home beers (cask, keg, bottle and can) and snacks such as crisps and pork scratchings. Check their social media for current opening times and beer range. 
When current owner James Birkitt bought the pub in the year 2000, it was a failed and closed Marstons pub. Investment was made improving the interior and outdoor drinking area as well as adding an extension and it was reborn as a freehouse pub with a variety of reasonably priced real ales and European beers served by friendly staff. In the two decades since, the winning formula has changed very little – only noticeable differences are bar snacks such as sandwiches are now sold, some of the beers are always from Neepsend Brewery (same owners) and the keg taps have UK craft beers alongside the European imports.
When long standing owners and licencees Pat and Eddy retired and sold up, a whole bunch of regulars put money into a community enterprise (Gardeners Rest Community Society) that now operates the pub. As before it is a great real ale pub with a choice of rooms, bar billiards, traditional music performances and slightly eccentric riverside beer garden but the community element has been cranked up a notch or two which is reflected in the people working there and the groups using the meeting room upstairs.
The pub is currently opening part time (afternoons Wed-Sat) for take home beer sales, check their social media for current opening times and beer choices.