Cheltenham brewery's pale ale named best beer in the UK

Cheltenham independent brewery, DEYA, proves it's top of the hops as it takes home the title of the Number One British Beer of 2024 in the Top 50 UK Beer Awards.

Its signature pale ale, Steady Rolling Man, beat off very stiff competition from national and internationally renowned brands, such as BrewDog, Camden Brewery, Pillars Brewery and Beavertown Brewery.

Described by the 150 beer experts who took part in the voting process as 'incredibly soft and delicate', the ale emerged triumphant in the new awards launched by beer specialists, We Are Beer — organisers of the London Craft Beer Festival — to shine a light on the thriving UK brewing sector.

Co-founder of We Are Beer, Greg Wells, commented: 'We wanted to create an award that celebrated all beer styles and in which brewers big and small could compete on an equal stage.

'As a result, truly great beers from lesser-known British craft breweries, such as the DEYA Brewing Company, as well as great British classics such as Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, have emerged triumphant and proves the skill and craftsmanship that lives on in the UK brewing scene.

'We hope, in recognising and celebrating the best beers in the UK every year, that these awards will encourage more people to get down the pub or local taproom and try some of the new and exciting beers we produce every year and support Great British brewing.'

Alongside DEYA's winning entry, the top five is made up of two lagers, Hells from London's Camden Brewery and Keller Pils from Bristol's Lost and Grounded Brewers; a cask ale, Landlord from Bradford's Timothy Taylor's; and a porter, London Black from Anspach and Hobday, also located in London.

The judging panel, comprised of brewers, retailers and journalists, was invited to vote for its favourite hoppy tipples — with votes registered only if the beer was brewed in the UK and if the judge had tasted it in the last 12 months.

Theo Freyne, DEYA's co-owner, said: 'Steady Rolling Man is the first beer we brewed at DEYA and it remains our most important and potentially most delicious beer.

'We are so thankful that Steady has become a go-to beer for so many people — cheers to all our lovely customers! 10 years of Steady next year.'

Gareth Moore, head brewer at DEYA, added: 'We made the decision early on to make Steady Rolling Man our focus. It was to form the keystone of what DEYA is about, representing not only what we want to achieve with our beers but also philosophically with the whole brewery. Impact, consistency, reliability and facilitating good vibes.'

Thom Hobson is the artist behind DEYA's eye-catching branding. He said: 'Steady, to me, feels like that magic moment where a song will change from minor to a major chord or vice versa, bringing a shift in tone and feeling that can be ever so slight and silky in its transition but is enough to make the fingertips fizz.'

DEYA beers can be found across various pubs, restaurants and venues in Gloucestershire, including at its own taproom in Cheltenham. Check out our handy hot list of the best beer gardens in the county to enjoy a cold one in the sun this summer.