CAMRA launches The Good Beer Guide 2018!
Last week we were kindly invited to the West Midlands CAMRA branch's launch of The Good Beer Guide 2018 in what is now its 45th year of existence. The event was hosted in the Rock & Roll Tap House who for the first year have been included in the guide. I was met by David Glenwright who had arranged the event and is the West Midlands Regional Young Members Coordinator . David had told me that this was the first “bloggers” event in the region and there were a fair few familiar faces in the packed room which if you haven’t been to Rock and Roll Brewhouse before looks truly fantastic. A bohemian-style room full of funky lighting, psychedelic decor and of course FANTASTIC BEER!
David told the room how fierce competition is to be in the guide that contains 4,500 of the best real ale pubs in the UK. In fact only five pubs have been in the guide every year since it was created, with over 190,000 members scoring on "WhatPub!" with the West Midlands just receiving an allocation of just 25 spaces. He also spoke of the genuine privilege in telling Co-Owner Mark Shepherd from Rock n’ Roll Brewhouse that they had made it into the guide.Co-Owner Lynn Crossland said that they had, had a "really, really bad day" and when Mark put down the phone they were like “wow”! She went on to say how this “unexpected” recognition is a justification of their determination to find a lovely place with a tap that it is as much their regulars' as it is their own.
Pubs listed in Birmingham this year include;
The Gunmakers Arms, the Post Office Vaults, Pure Craft Bar & Kitchen (on the BeerYeti Trail), The Wellington, the Spotted Dog, The Woodman, 1000 Trades, The Red Lion, the Black Eagle, Rock & Roll Brewhouse, The Rose Villa Tavern, the Eagle & Ball, the White Horse, The Lamp Tavern, Kings Heath Cricket & Sports Club, The Pear Tree, The Old Moseley Arms, The Inn on the Green (don’t miss out on the Bottle Shed next door), the Prince of Wales, The Bartons Arms, The Black Horse, The Old Hare & Hounds, The Selly Park Tavern, The Wildcat Tap (read our review here) and The Hornet.
CAMRA's West Midlands Pub of the Year 2017 went to Weavers Real Ale House in Kidderminster. Our pals at Birmingham Brewing Company, Burning Soul Brewery and Thousand Trades Brewery were also listed within the new breweries section.All in all a cracking event to celebrate a fantastic year for beer in the UK!
