Good Beer Guide 2011

CAMRA books have been busy again this summer. The most recent offering is the latest edition of the Good Beer Guide, for so long the CAMRA members' bible.

This year's book (or should that be NEXT year's book ?)is another monster. 888 pages, 4,500 pub entries and almost 800 breweries including 88 opened in the last year.

This year's book also finds space to include the sixteen regional pubs of the year and also includes the details of each of the CAMRA branch pubs of the year. There are also the names of all of the finalists in this years Champion Beer of Britain competition.

This is the 38th edition and I buy a copy each year to maintain my collection. I think it is by admission out-of-date the day it is published given the fast moving pub scene - new ones open and sometimes even good pubs close. However, I trust the selection process and its coverage nationwide is complete. It cannot include every good pub but I think it is the best guide available to give you a pointer to good pubs across the country.

The cover price is £15.99, but my copy through the CAMRA direct debit scheme was £10

I was also lucky enough to receive a review copy from my friends at CAMRA HQ though that copy is already falling apart at the seams - a slight problem with the binding.

If it is in danger of being left behind by electronic guides and social media sites it is doing its best to keep up with Sat-Nav and mobile phone versions for an extra fiver - very useful for finding pubs in country lanes.

The spine has a quote from the Independent : "indispensable" - for all of it's misgivings I still tend to agree.

Good Beer Guide

I like the Good Beer Guide. I always buy the latest edition. I have it on my sat-nav, I use it on every trip. Over the years, I have helped with surveys, editing and distribution - I trust the formula.

However, every now and then it lets me down. Last week, I came across the most dirty pub I have been in for years. The furniture was filthy, the carpets too. It has had no investment for years despite being owned by one of the regional breweries. Sometimes these pubs do make it into the GBG if the beer is of sufficient quality to overcome all of these deficiencies. After all it is the GOOD BEER Guide. On this occasion the beer was close to being undrinkable too.

I suppose the guide covers about 5,000 pubs so sometimes things will slip in depending on each local CAMRA branch. I would be surprised to see this pub in the Guide again unless it receives some significant improvements - both to the decor and the beer.

I hope I have more luck this week. My research continues.

Good Beer Guide 2010

The Good Beer Guide for 2010 was launched yesterday. I can tell you nothing about it as my copy has yet to arrive. I know the post in London is piling up at the sorting office but as my direct debit has not gone through my bank, I think my on-line application to receive an early copy at CAMRA's keenest price of £10 including postage has failed.

I will now have to go to Amazon where copies are for sale at a cheapest ever price of £7.99 with free postage. CAMRA must make very little out of this deal but I would guess that Amazon may be making even less at this price. If I am reluctant to rely on the post, I will have to take a trip to Surrey Stationers where it is on sale for £9.99. The consumer is king.

I assume the book is similar to previous years; c4,500 of the best places to find good real ale together with the details of every brewery in the country and their beers. With such a large number of pubs covered, all chosen by CAMRA branches, there are bound to be some short comings in the choice of pubs, often made worse by the time lag between selection and publication. However, the book is still the bible for the beer drinker and a generally trustworthy pointer towards the best beer.

At least the embargo on publicity for CAMRA's regional pubs of the year is now lifted and I am again free to comment on the country's winning pubs.

Good Beer Guide

Some analysis of Good Beer Guide pubs in London reached me a while ago and I think it worthy of sharing and comment.

The last three guides have the following numbers of Youngs pubs :

2007 = 53 pubs
2008 = 44 pubs
2009 = 35 pubs

The following is the same total for Fullers pubs :

2006 = 40
2007 = 38
2008 = 36
2009 = 36

The total number of Fullers pubs in the last four years has remained relatively stable, but there are very few that have been in for all of the four years, with most only being in one or two of those years. There is a lot more change as to which pub is in which year.

And finally Wetherspoons :

2006 = 26
2007 = 30
2008 = 24
2009 = 34

Wetherspoons has increased in number steadily over the years apart from a glitch in 2008 which relates to the end of the poor eras around 2006 & 2007 when real ale was less of a priority before its current policy and much improved availability and quality. I believe that Wetherspoons managers are on a bonus scheme that includes extra benefit if the pub makes it into the Guide.

Nothing really significant to add. I don't suppose Youngs will be too bothered by this statistic as it could be argued that this shows that their pubs are moving away from being beer led to a more mixed offering - a deliberate movement for them that has had significant investment since the brewery sale.

Although Fuller has the current largest number, I believe there is the potential to do much better. It is clear that they have many pubs on the fringe of the guide. Some more deliberate focus could improve their number.

Wetherspoons are improving (No sh*t Sherlock). Their excellent beer festivals and deliberate focus on CAMRA campaigning has done much to ingratiate them with CAMRA branches around the country. Reports are often mixed but the figures cannot lie.