New GBG hails UK’s biggest brewers boom in 70 years!
By: JimOldfield
September 13th, 2012
The 40th edition of CAMRA’s drinkers’ bible, the Good Beer Guide is out today – celebrating the highest number of breweries in operation across the country for 70 years!
The guide numbers a truly astonishing 1,009 UK breweries – 158 of which opened over the past year to give the greatest rate of opening over the guide’s history. The figure is five times the number of breweries operating 20 years ago and more than double those in business a decade ago.
GBG Editor Roger Protz said: “A double dip recession has done nothing to halt the incredible surge in the number of brewers coming on stream, making the small brewing sector surely one of the most remarkable UK industry success stories of the last decade.
“Beer drinkers in the present day are faced with an enormous variety and choice like never seen before on these shores.
“Whilst historically there were more breweries in the UK pre-1930s, the distribution and communication networks of the modern day mean that real ale has never been so accessible to consumers, or to pubs wanting to meet demand for serving locally produced beer.”
He added that on average there is now just under one brewery for every 50 pubs in the UK. The guide – which is jointly sponsored by Cask Marque and SIBA – also lists 4,500 pubs, which includes 1,033 new entries.
It names its “Magnificent Seven” pubs, which have figured in every edition. They are: Buckingham Arms, London SW1; New Inn, Kilmington, Devon; Queen’s Head, Newton, Cambs; Roscoe Head, Liverpool; Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset; Star, Netherton, Northumberland; and Star Tavern, London SW1.
Also named are the 16 CAMRA Regional Pubs of 2012, who are now competing for CAMRA’s Pub of the Year title. They are: Southern- Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage; Compasses, Littley Green, Essex; Just Beer Micropub, Newark, Notts; Hope, Carshalton; Baum, Rochdale; Conqueror Alehouse, Ramsgate; Lower Chequer, Sandbach; Ship Inn, High Hesleden, Durham; Woolpack Inn , Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire; Tom Cobley Tavern, Spreyton, Devon; Wilkes Head, Eastergate, W Sussex; Bridge End Inn, Ruabon, Wrexham; Victoria & Albert, Netherhampton, Wiltshire; Weighbridge, Alvechurch, Worcs ; Bridge Bier Huis, Burnley; and finally – almost by habit – the Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield.
There’s too much more to list in this year’s Guide – which costs £10 for CAMRA members and £12.99 for non-members. See the link below.
