Our national competition, hosted by our friends at Phantom Brewing Co.

Are you planning a sour, fruited or mixed fermentation beer? Have you brewed one before or would you like a reason to try it out? Well, registration is now open for RAB’s third BJCP-sanctioned competition: Sours in the Sun – a competition focused on sour, fruited and mixed fermentation beer styles.

As well as the opportunity to stake your claim as a sour superstar, a face of fruit beer or a mixed-ferm phenom, we have some fantastic prizes up for grabs from the likes of Gueuzerie Tilquin, Burning Sky, Vault City, Double-Barrelled, Dolphin Brewery, Holy Goat and Wilderness Brewery.

Building on the success of 2023’s Sours and Sessions, this competition will again be hosted by our pals at Phantom Brewing Co, with the opportunity to sample all entries after judging is complete.

SUPPORTED BY:

Phantom Brewing Co.

Previous Winners – Sour & Session 2023

Table 1: Best Bitter (11 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stAlan ManleyTo The Bitter EndBest BitterReading Amateur Brewers
2ndPhill TurnerHorsmonden BestBest BitterLAB/County Beermakers

Table 2: British / Irish Ales (12 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stMark SandersonMild ManneredDark MildLondon Amateur Brewers
2ndLuke RussellRed CortinaIrish Red AleLondon Amateur Brewers
3rdJames PettiforGratisDark MildAnglian Craft Brewers

Table 3: American Pale/Amber Ales & Porter (9 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stDavid BirkeWhere Are The WavesAmerican Amber AleNo Frills Joe Homebrew Club
2ndMark HopkinsCousin SamAmerican PorterLondon Amateur Brewers
3rdPaul WillisChatterbox PaleAmerican Pale AleHomebrew Collab (Bristol)

Table 4: Lager & Hybrid (12 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stChris BurrowsGold Leaf RobynNew Zealand PilsnerReading Amateur Brewers
2ndMat RidgeWeyeryousosmokyRauchbierNorwich Amateur Brewers
3rdAlex HallLagerGerman PilsScottish Craft Brewers

Table 5: Belgian & European Sour (9 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stJacques MaraisAnything GeuezeGueuzeLondon Amateur Brewers
2ndJacques MaraisRaspberry DreamFruit LambicLondon Amateur Brewers
3rdJacques MaraisWhy Not You Just Saison?SaisonLondon Amateur Brewers

Table 6: Mixed fermentation, Brett and Experimental (8 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stSam JonesFunky CamelMixed Fermentation Sour Beer 
2ndStew HorneLawnmower DethExperimental BeerTwickenham Boars
3rdStew HorneAtoniumBrett BeerTwickenham Boars

Table 7: Sour & Wild (9 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stJohn KellettRaspberry RippleWild Specialty BeerReading Amateur Brewers
2ndSean O’TooleGo Dig My GraveWild Specialty BeerMidlands Craft Brewers
3rdDaren FearonCoast-To-Coast American Farmhouse With ApricotWild Specialty BeerReading Amateur Brewers

Table 8: Sour & Fruit/Veg (8 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stSean O’TooleMas Que NadaCatharina SourMidlands Craft Brewers
2ndMike AnsonRaspberry Fruit BoxFruit BeerHertford Brew Club
3rdRobert IngoldbyRazzmatazzFruit BeerReading Amateur Brewers

Table 9: Best in Show: Sour (11 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stStew HorneAtoniumSourTwickenham Boars
2ndMike AnsonRaspberry Fruit BoxSourHertford Brew Club
3rdSean O’TooleGo Dig My GraveSourMidlands Craft Brewers
HMSam JonesFunky CamelSour 

Table 10: Best in Show: Session (11 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stChris BurrowsGold Leaf RobynSessionReading Amateur Brewers
2ndMark HopkinsCousin SamSessionLondon Amateur Brewers
3rdMat RidgeWeyeryousosmokySessionNorwich Amateur Brewers
HMMark SandersonMild ManneredSessionLondon Amateur Brewers