The next edition of CAMRA’s flagship publication, the 51st Good Beer Guide, will be published on 28 September. Watch out for news of launch events in London. The forward for this edition has been contributed by Bruce Dickinson of the band Iron Maiden. Consequently, the cover artwork is possibly the most striking in the Guide’s history. As many readers will be aware, Bruce and his band have their own brand of cask ale, Trooper, brewed by Robinson’s of Stockport. The brand celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.
CAMRA’s National Chairman, Nik Antona, said, “We’re honoured to have Bruce Dickinson pen the foreword for the Good Beer Guide 2024. As we enter our second half century of producing the guide, there is no one better to introduce this year’s edition, and highlight what makes these institutions so worth visiting. The last few years have been an incredibly difficult time for the industry and we need more support than ever before to keep our nation’s pubs open and thriving. I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s guide to visit the very best pubs across the UK and support them for generations to come.”
Inside, you will find what you would expect: details of 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, selected on merit by CAMRA members with no fees being involved. Full information on the UK’s breweries is included, as ever, in a form not available in similar publications. Again, the information is gathered by CAMRA members.
To pre-order the Good Beer Guide 2024, go to https://shop1.camra.org.uk/. There is also a hardback edition but pre-orders for this closed on 24 July. It may however be worth checking in case there are any left. Similarly, there is a version with a different cover, available to CAMRA members only and also with a deadline of 24 July.
CASK
Don’t forget: you should be able to buy your copy of Des de Moor’s new book, CASK, at the Great British Beer Festival. It is published on 1 August, the event’s opening day. It explores in depth the uniqueness and importance of cask beer. With the future of cask still uncertain, this book lays down why the foundations of British beer culture and heritage would not be the same without it.
Surrey Pub Walks
Reader Matthew Ogborn has contacted me over a new book that he has produced and in which readers may be interested. It describes 20 circular walks in Surrey, including the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The walks range between two and five miles and at the heart of every route is a top-rated local pub. There are full details of each route, including maps and directions. The book comes in A5 format (soft cover), 96 pages and costs £9.99 plus delivery. It can be purchased direct from the publishers here. The ISBN is 9781846744129 and the RRP £9.99