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]
History
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]
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"Avoid like the plague" version withdrawn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
^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.
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