Brewery of the Year and New Beer of the Year | Brewers Choice Awards 2026

We’re still a bit blown away. At The Brewers Journal’s Brewers Choice Awards in London, we came home with not one award but two: Brewery of the Year, and New Beer of the Year for our hazy pale, Where The Buffalo Roam.

We’d been shortlisted in five categories this year: Brewery of the Year, New Beer of the Year, Beer of the Year for Good Times, Brewer of the Year for Derek Bates, and Branding of the Year. Being on those lists alongside breweries we really admire already felt like plenty. Hearing our name called out twice on the night was something we genuinely didn’t see coming.

Where The Buffalo Roam is a 5.2% hazy pale built on Krush hops for a juicy citrus and passionfruit base, with Nelson Sauvin bringing those grape-like, slightly savoury notes and Simcoe adding earthy citrus and a hint of pineapple. To see it picked out as the best new beer of the year means a huge amount to the people who brewed it.

In great company

Huge congratulations to everyone who was nominated and everyone who won this year. We were in brilliant company. We’ve just brewed with our friends at Two Flints, who were up for Beer of the Year themselves, and we’ve got collabs in the planning with Colbier and Indie Rabble, so watch this space.

Nights like this matter. Brewing can be a head-down, keep-going sort of job, and it’s rare that the whole industry gets together in one room to step back and recognise what everyone has achieved. We’re proud of our brewing contemporaries, past and present, and of the people who keep independent beer as good as it is.

Thank you to our team

Most of all, we’re proud of our own team. A special mention goes to Andy, our Head of Production and product development, whose relentless dedication to brewing excellence and product development is the reason these two awards are heading back to West Acre. Nice one mate. That’s one for the mantelpiece.

Try the award winner

Where The Buffalo Roam is very nearly gone, and it’s only in cans now. The best way to get hold of one is to come and see us at the brewery taproom in West Acre before they all go. Crack one open with us or take a few home.

Cheers!

Don’t take their word for it on the awards… why not come along for a Tour & Tasting Experience and stay on in our Brewery Taproom for pints and local street food!

Book a Tour HERE.

Tours are £25 per person and run every first Saturday of the month with 30mins learning about the brew process in the brewery before sitting down to a tutored tasting of 4 fresh beers in the taproom. Comes with a keepsake glass and 10% of any purchases in the shop.

Book a Taproom table HERE.

Our taproom is open every Saturday and Sunday from 12 through the Summer. We are dog and family-friendly and fully wheelchair accessible. See what’s pouring and what food is on each week HERE.

Press & Testimonials (from when we did these online!)

Beer Today  ‘Duration Brewing tours will continue through winter’

Eastern Daily Press  ‘Virtual beer tasting courses ‘saving grace’ for independent brewery’

Beer Yeti  ‘An Epic Virtual Tour & Tasting From Duration Brewing!’