An East Sussex brewery with a pub in Crowborough has beaten off competition from countries around the globe to produce the best beer in the world – and it’s official.
Lewes-based Harvey’s Brewery which has 45 pubs including the Wheatsheaf in Mount Pleasant, Crowborough, has scooped the Supreme Champion Award at the International Beer Challenge in Portugal.
The winning beer was Old Ale, which is served at the Wheatsheaf. Miles Jenner, Head Brewer & Joint Managing Director said: “Winning the ‘Supreme Champion’ Trophy, in competition with a wealth of beer styles and brewing nations, is an accolade we had not expected.
“Combining our spring water and yeast strain with locally sourced hops and barley remains paramount in our brewing process, as does the skill and dedication of our staff. Every member of the team has contributed to this success, and I am immensely proud of them.”
The Harvey’s Brewery, which is the oldest independent brewery in Sussex, also picked up the award for best Brewery (UK) at the prestigious awards.
A family business, the brewery has been in the custodianship of John Harvey’s descendants since 1790, with five family members from the seventh and eighth generations working there today.
It’s not the first award for Old Ale. It was also awarded Gold UK Winner in the Mild Ale category at the World Beer Awards. If that isn’t enough, it also picked up Gold in CAMRA’s 2025 London & South East Area Champion Beer of Britain (Brown Ales & Red Ales, Old Ales & Strong Milds category).
The 2025 International Beer Challenge received entries from close to 30 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Indonesia, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Paraguay, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The judging panel was chaired by Jeff Evans. Commenting on this year’s awards, Evans said: “It’s always a pleasure to be chair of the judges for the IBC. It’s a job I’ve been doing for 23 years, and I’ve enjoyed this year’s competition as much as any.
“We had some truly knowledgeable judges on the team this year, and they tasted beers from around 30 countries, sampling ales, lagers, stouts, wheat beers and more from places such as Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Taiwan, Lithuania, Japan, Paraguay, South Africa and Australia, as well as renowned beer-drinking nations such as Germany, Belgium, the USA and the UK.
“To win a medal of any colour in the IBC is not easy, because all the judges on a table have to agree on the decision, so I congratulate all the successful breweries and hope that the awards help them spread the word about their exceptional beers.”
Trophies Supreme Champion Old Ale, Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd
Brewer of the Year (UK) Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd