The Good Beer Guide is a book published annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), listing what the organisation considers to be the best 4,500 real ale outlets (pubs, clubs, and off-licences) in the United Kingdom.
Details
The content of the Guide is decided upon by volunteers in CAMRA's local branches. Throughout the preceding year, CAMRA members anonymously rate the quality of the cellarmanship of beer in venues using CAMRA's National Beer Scoring System (NBSS) through either WhatPub or the Good Beer Guide app. These scores are then reviewed by local volunteers in the spring, who put forward those they consider to serve the best real ale. The number of entries each branch area has is decided at county level, with an emphasis on ensuring that a geographically wide spread set of entries are included in each year's Guide.
Entries for each venue give details on factual information such as opening times, food availability and accessibility of the property, as well as subjective information such as the attractiveness of the wallpaper and the welcome visitors are likely to get from the bar staff.
The Good Beer Guide also includes a list of real ale breweries in the United Kingdom, with lists and tasting notes on their beers.
After two long stints as editor, Roger Protz announced in autumn 2017 that the Good Beer Guide 2018 would be his last. CAMRA stated that from 2019 the Guide would carry the name of the managing editor.
The Good Beer Guide 2023 featured a foreword by King Charles III.
History The Guide was first published in 1972 and was just 18 pages long. Rather than a professionally published volume, it was a collection of sheets of paper stapled together and posted out to CAMRA members.
The first printed edition was published in 1974. In a list of the country's brewers, the entry for Watney's consisted of the advice to "Avoid like the plague." Concerned that this statement was libellous, the publisher, Waddington's, recalled the first print run and revised the entry to "Avoid at all costs."Good Beer Guide celebrates record number of British breweries: most for 70 years, Protz On Beer, 12 September 2012
Editions The Guide is published each year, occasionally with multiple bindings:
Year Sponsored by Edited by Pages Binding ISBN 1972 Michael Hardman 18 Unbound 1974 "Avoid like the plague" version withdrawn John Hanscomb 96 Paperback 1974 "Avoid at all costs" replacement version John Hanscomb 96 Paperback 1974 Facsimile "Avoid at all costs" version issued March 1996 John Hanscomb 96 Paperback numbered limited edition (of 500) 1975 Michael Hardman 176 Paperback 1976 Michael Hardman 224 Paperback 1977 Michael Hardman 256 Paperback Hardback 1978 Roger Protz 256 Paperback 1979 Roger Protz 236 + 36 maps Paperback 1980 Roger Protz 236 + 36 maps Paperback 1981 Roger Protz 236 + 36 maps Paperback 1982 Roger Protz 236 + 36 maps Paperback 1983 Roger Protz 236 + 36 maps Paperback 1984 Neil Hanson 280 + 36 maps Paperback 1985 Neil Hanson 280 + 36 maps Paperback 1986 Neil Hanson 280 + 36 maps Paperback 1987 Neil Hanson 280 + 36 maps Paperback 1988 Neil Hanson 352 Paperback 1989 Andrea Gillies 384 Paperback 1990 British Coal Andrea Gillies 480 Paperback 1991 British Coal Jeff Evans 504 Paperback 1992 British Coal Jeff Evans 480 Paperback 1993 Jeff Evans 508 Paperback Leather-bound 1994 Jeff Evans 512 Paperback 1995 Jeff Evans 528 Paperback 1996 Jeff Evans 544 Paperback 1997 Jeff Evans 544 Paperback 1998 Homefire Smokeless Coal Jeff Evans 560 Paperback Hardback 1999 Homefire Smokeless Coal Jonathan Preece 576 Paperback Hardback 2000 Homefire Smokeless Coal Roger Protz 578 Paperback 2001 Cask Marque Roger Protz 578 Paperback 2002 Cask Marque Roger Protz 804 Paperback 2003 Cask Marque Roger Protz 830 Paperback 2004 Cask Marque / Beer Seller Roger Protz 830 Paperback 2005 Beer Seller Roger Protz 848 Paperback 2006 Waverley TBS Roger Protz 864 Paperback 2007 Roger Protz 880 Paperback 2008 Cask Marque Roger Protz 880 Paperback Hardback 2009 Cask Marque Roger Protz 896 Paperback 2010 Cask Marque Roger Protz 888 Paperback 2011 Cask Marque Roger Protz 888 Paperback 2012 Cask Marque / Society of Independent Brewers Roger Protz 908 Paperback Kindle - 2013 Cask Marque / Society of Independent Brewers Roger Protz 944 Paperback 2014 Society of Independent Brewers / It's Better Down The Pub Roger Protz 944 Paperback 2015 Society of Independent Brewers / Cyclops Beer Roger Protz 976 Paperback 2016 Pipers Crisp Co. Roger Protz 1,016 Paperback 2017 Cask Marque Roger Protz 1,032 Paperback 2018 Cask Marque Roger Protz 1,032 Paperback 2019 Cask Marque Emma Haines - Project Manager 1,048 Paperback 2020 Cask Marque Emma Haines - Managing Editor 1,060 Paperback 2021 Emma Haines - Managing Editor 912 Paperback 2022 Cask Marque / Stay In A Pub Emma Haines - Managing Editor 896 Paperback 2023 Cask Marque Emma Haines - Managing Editor 944 Paperback Hardback numbered limited edition(of 1,775) 2024 Emma Haines - Managing Editor 941 Paperback plain cover Paperback Iron Maiden cover edition Hardback Iron Maiden cover edition 2025 Midland Snacks Emma Haines - Managing Editor 912 Paperback Coronation Street cover edition Paperback Emmerdale cover edition 2026 Midland Snacks Emma Haines - Managing Editor 912 Paperback 2027 Midland Snacks Emma Haines - Managing Editor 848 Paperback
Other publications In the past, CAMRA also published the Good Cider Guide and the Good Bottled Beer Guide.
References
External links CAMRA website