Good Beer Guide

GBG 2006

The Good Beer Guide is a book published annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) listing what it considers to be the best cask ale outlets (pubs, clubs, and off licences) in the United Kingdom.

Details

First Edition in 1974

The book is published from CAMRA's headquarters at St Albans and is currently edited by Roger Protz, but the contents are assembled by CAMRA's 200-plus local branches. The local branches consist of members who have an interest in keeping up to date with what is going on regarding the availability of real ale (cask conditioned beer) in their own branch area. Each branch is allocated a number of entries which may be included in the guide. As each branch is given autonomy to decide which pubs (and other outlets) to enter and which to leave out, there is considerable variation from area to area, depending on the involvement and interests of the local members. While most CAMRA members regard the book to be so trustworthy as to earn the nickname "The Bible of Beer", other readers have found it to be inconsistent.

The pub descriptions themselves have grown from a single line to sometimes quite lengthy little essays that include history and legend. This is a major factor in the doubling of thickness of the Good Beer Guide over the last twenty years.

Although it concentrates on pubs, the guide also includes a list of cask 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 2018 Guide would be his last. CAMRA has stated that the 2019 Guide will not have a named author.

History

The guide was first published in 1972, and was just 18 pages long.[1] Rather than a professionally published volume, it was a collection of sheets of paper stapled together and posted out to CAMRA members.[2]

The first printed edition was published in 1974, and contained the comment on Watney's brewery: "Avoid like the plague", which generated a lot of media attention and caused the publisher, Waddington, to recall the first print run and revise the description to "Avoid at all costs".[3]

Editions

The guide is published each year, occasionally with multiple bindings:

YearSponsored ByEdited ByPagesBindingISBN
1972Michael Hardman18Unbound
1974John Hanscomb96Paperback
1975Michael Hardman176Paperback
1976Michael Hardman224Paperback 0-09-912290-1
1977Michael Hardman256Paperback 0-09-914510-3
Hardback
1978Roger Protz256Paperback 0-09-916980-0
1979Roger Protz236 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-09-919630-1
1980Roger Protz236 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-09-922160-8
1981Roger Protz236 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-09-925260-0
1982Roger Protz236 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-9503340-7-3
1983Roger Protz236 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-950-3340-8-1
1984Neil Hanson280 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-950-3340-9-X
1985Neil Hanson280 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-9509584-0-9
1986Neil Hanson280 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-9509584-1-7
1987Neil Hanson280 + 36 MapsPaperback 0-9509584-3-3
1988Neil Hanson352Paperback 1-85249-000-4
1989Andrea Gillies384Paperback 1-85249-001-2
1990British CoalAndrea Gillies480Paperback 1-85249-002-0
1991British CoalJeff Evans504Paperback 1-85249-003-9
1992British CoalJeff Evans480Paperback 1-85249-004-7
1993Jeff Evans508Paperback 1-85249-005-5
Leather Bound 1-85249-005-5
1994Jeff Evans512Paperback 1-85249-006-3
1995Jeff Evans528Paperback 1-85249-007-1
1996Jeff Evans544Paperback 1-85249-008-X
1997Jeff Evans544Paperback 1-85249-009-8
1998Homefire Smokeless coalJeff Evans560Paperback 1-85249-131-0
1999Homefire Smokeless coalJonathan Preeze576Paperback 1-85249-149-3
2000Homefire Smokeless coalRoger Protz578Paperback 1-85249-159-0
2001Cask MarqueRoger Protz578Paperback 1-85249-163-9
2002Cask MarqueRoger Protz804Paperback 1-85249-178-7
2003Cask MarqueRoger Protz830Paperback 1-85249-176-0
2004Cask Marque / Beer SellerRoger Protz830Paperback 1-85249-186-8
2005Beer SellerRoger Protz848Paperback 1-85249-196-5
2006Waverley TBSRoger Protz864Paperback 1-85249-211-2
2007Roger Protz880Paperback 1-85249-224-4
2008Cask MarqueRoger Protz880Paperback 978-1-85249-231-1
Hardback 978-1-85249-251-9
2009Cask MarqueRoger Protz896Paperback 978-1-85249-249-6
2010Cask MarqueRoger Protz888Paperback 978-1-85249-266-3
2011Cask MarqueRoger Protz888Paperback 978-1-85249-272-4
2012Cask Marque / Society of Independent BrewersRoger Protz908Paperback 978-1-85249-286-1
Kindle-
2013Cask Marque / Society of Independent BrewersRoger Protz944Paperback 978-1-85249-290-8
2014Society of Independent Brewers / It's Better Down The PubRoger Protz944Paperback 978-1-85249-312-7
2015Society of Independent Brewers / Cyclops BeerRoger Protz976Paperback 978-1-85249-320-2
2016Pipers Crisp Co.Roger Protz1016Paperback 978-1-85249-327-1
2017Cask MarqueRoger Protz1032Paperback 978-1-85249-335-6
2018Cask MarqueRoger Protz1032Paperback 978-1-85249-344-8
2019Cask MarqueNot named?Paperback 978-1-85249-354-7

Other publications

CAMRA also publishes the Good Cider Guide and the Good Bottled Beer Guide.

References

  1. ↑ "West Cumbria CAMRA". Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Queralt, Richard (October–November 2007). "CAMRA good beer guide" (PDF). The Oxford Drinker. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  3. ↑ http://protzonbeer.co.uk/news/2012/09/12/good-beer-guide-celebrates-record-number-of-british-breweries-most-for-70-years
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.