Beer awards | Shepherd Neame

Discover more about our award-winning beers

As Britain's oldest brewer, we know a thing or two about beer! We are proud to have won numerous national and international accolades for our beers over the years.

Read about our latest awards below.

You can also find out more our business and community awards, and recognition for our pubs and hotels using the links below.

Business & community awards

Pub awards

Beer awards 2024

2024: Campaign for Real Ale Champion Beer of London & the South East competition: Bronze for 1698 in the Real Ale in a Bottle - Strong category

2024: Great British Food Awards: Gold medals - Double Stout and Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager

2024: Taste of Kent Awards: 1698 Silver Award – Kent Beer of the Year

2024: Sam Adams Wicked Easy won ‘Joint Champion’ Beer in the International Smallpack category at the BFBi (Brewing, Food and Beverage Industry) awards lunch

2024: International Brewing & Cider Awards: Silver: 1698 (International Smallpack Ale Competition, Ale 5.5% - 6.9%)

2024: World Beer Awards: 1698 and Bishops Finger (5.2% ABV) - World’s Best Bitter in their categories (over 5.5% and 4.5-5.5%, respectively); India Pale Ale (6.1% ABV) - gold medal and Country Winner for England in the English Style IPA category; Double Stout (5.2% ABV) and Whitstable Bay Black Stout (4.2% ABV) – silver medals in the Porters & Stout – Stout category

2024: British Bottlers’ Institute Awards: Gold medals - 1698, India Pale Ale and Whitstable Bay Pale Ale; Silver medal - Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager; Diploma of Excellence - Whitstable Bay Black Stout

Beer awards 2023

2023: Great British Food Award: Gold: Spitfire Amber Ale (4.2%),; Silver: Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager (4.5%); Bronze: Bishops Finger

2023: British Bottlers’ Institute: Gold Award - Bishops Finger (5.2%) (Ale 5.0 – 5.9% category), 1698 (6.5%) (Ales 6.0 – 7.4% category), India Pale Ale (6.1%) (IPA 5.5 – 7.4% category); Diploma of Excellence – Singha (5%)

2023: International Beer Challenge: Gold Medal – Bishops Finger (5.2%); Silver Medal – Double Stout (5.2%), India Pale Ale (6.1%); Bronze Medal - Whitstable Bay Pale Ale (4%)

2023: Taste of Kent Awards: Bishops Finger Gold Award – Kent Beer of the Year

Beer awards 2022

2022: London & SE Champion Bottled Beer of Britain: 4.4% ABV and above category: Bronze for 1698
2022: International Beer Challenge: Gold Medal - Bear Island Triple Hopped Lager (4.6%ABV); Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (4.8%), and Christmas Ale (7%) – Silver Medals
2022 World Beer Awards - Gold Medal: Bear Island Triple Hopped Lager (Hoppy pilsner category)
2022 World Beer Awards - Silver Medal: India Pale Ale (English style category)
2022 World Beer Awards - Bronze Medal: Noughty Bear 0.5% IPA (IPA category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Gold: Christmas Ale (Ales 6% - 7.4% category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Gold: Singha (Lagers 4% - 5.5% category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Gold: Whitstable Bay Pale Ale (Packaging ales category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Silver: Bear Island Triple Hopped Lager (Lagers 4 - 5.5% category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Diploma of Excellence: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (Ales 4.5% - 4.9% category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Diploma of Excellence: 1698 (Ales 6% - 7.4% category)
2022 British Bottlers' Institute Competition - Diploma of Excellence: India Pale Ale (Ales 5.5% - 7.4% category)
2022 Great British Food Awards - shortlisted: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale, 1698, Whitstable Bay Pale Ale, Orchard View, Grants Morella Cherry Brandy.

Beer awards 2021

2021 Great British Food Awards – Highly Commended: Strong Pale Ale (Beers and Lagers category)
2021 Great British Food Awards – shortlisted: Noughty Bear 0.5% IPA
2021 World Beer Awards – Country Winner: 1698 (Best Pale Bitter over 5.5% ABV)
2021 World Beer Awards – Silver Medal: Noughty Bear 0.5% IPA (New Launch in design category)
2021 World Beer Awards – Bronze Medal: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (Can Design in design category)
2021 World Beer Awards – Bronze Medal: Classic Collection India Pale Ale (IPA (English Style))
2021 World Beer Awards – Bronze Medal: Five Grain Lager (Can Design in design category)
2021 World Beer Awards – Bronze Medal: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (Pale Beer (American-style Pale Ale))
2021 British Bottlers' Institute Competition – Gold Award: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (Ales (4.5 – 4.9%) category)
2021 British Bottlers' Institute Competition – Gold Award: Bear Island Triple Hopped Lager (Lagers (4.0 – 5.5%))
2021 British Bottlers' Institute Competition – Diploma of Excellence: Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager (Lagers (4.0 – 5.5%))

Beer awards 2020

2020 International Beer Challenge – Gold Medal: 1698 (ales category)
2020 International Beer Challenge – Silver Medal: Bishops Finger
2020 International Beer Challenge – Silver Medal: New Dawn Citrus IPA (flavoured beer category)
2020 International Beer Challenge – Silver Medal Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager (lagers category)
2020 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Medal: Double Stout (stout/porter category)
2020 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Medal: Bear Island Triple Hopped Lager (lagers category)
2020 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Medal: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (individual product category)
2020 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Medal: India Pale Ale
2020 International Beer Challenge - Silver Medal: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (design and packaging)
2020 FAB Awards - Silver Medal: Spitfire Amber Ale (Alcoholic Logo Rebrand category)
2020 Fresh Awards – Bronze Medal: Spitfire family rebrand

Beer awards 2019

2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: 1698
2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale
2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: India Pale Ale
2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: Five Grain
2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: Spitfire Amber Ale
2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: Spitfire Golden Ale
2019 International Beer Challenge – Bronze Award: Whitstable Bay Blonde Lager
2019 British Bottlers’ Institute – Gold Award: 1698 (Ales, abv 6.0% - 7.4% category)
2019 British Bottlers’ Institute – Diploma: Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale (Ales, abv 4.5% - 4.9% category)
2019 British Bottlers’ Institute – Gold Award: Whitstable Bay Blonde (Lagers, abv 4.0% - 5.5% category)
2019 British Bottlers’ Institute – Diploma: Five Grain Lager (Lagers, abv 4.0% - 5.5% category)
2019 British Bottlers’ Institute – Diploma: Double Stout (Stouts, Porters or Dark Ales, abv 5.5% - 7.4% category)
2019 British Bottlers’ Institute – Silver Award: Spitfire (Packaging category)

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