The Good Beer Guide is a book published annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), listing what it considers to be the best 4,500 real ale outlets (pubs, clubs, and off-licences) in the United Kingdom.[1]
The content of the Guide is decided upon by volunteers in CAMRA's local branches.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]
The Guide was first published in 1972 and was just 18 pages long.[6] Rather than a professionally published volume, it was a collection of sheets of paper stapled together and posted out to CAMRA members.[7]
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."[8] Concerned that this statement was libellous, the publisher, Waddington's, recalled the first print run and revised the entry to "Avoid at all costs."[9]
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| 1974 | "Avoid like the plague" version withdrawn | John Hanscomb | 96 | Paperback | |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 | 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 | Andrea Gillies | 480 | Paperback | ||
| 1991 | British Coal | 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 | 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 | 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 | 1016 | Paperback | |
| 2017 | Cask Marque | Roger Protz | 1032 | Paperback | |
| 2018 | Cask Marque | Roger Protz | 1032 | Paperback | |
| 2019 | Cask Marque | Emma Haines - Project Manager | 1048 | Paperback | |
| 2020 | Cask Marque | Emma Haines - Managing Editor | 1060 | 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 1775) | |||||
| 2024 | Emma Haines - Managing Editor | 941 | Paperback - Plain Cover | ||
| Paperback - Iron Maiden Cover | |||||
| Hardback - Iron Maiden Cover | |||||
| 2025 | Midland Snacks | Emma Haines - Managing Editor | xxx | Paperback Coronation Street Cover Edition | Released September 26, 2024 |
| Paperback Emmerdale Cover Edition | Released September 26, 2024 | ||||
In the past, CAMRA also published the Good Cider Guide and the Good Bottled Beer Guide.