Bristol & District CAMRA Launch the 2026 Good Beer Guide

The 2026 edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide will be launched on Friday 26 September. The Bristol & District branch are holding a local launch event at the Seven Stars, Thomas Lane, Bristol BS1 6JG from 12 noon until 6pm, so come along and buy a copy from some of the people that helped put the guide together. Each year volunteer members of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) survey thousands of pubs to work out where you can find the best beer. The foreword for this year’s guide has been penned by Ed Byrne, comedian and beer lover. Famous for his #preshowpints on social media, he has posted about the various bars and breweries he has sampled around the UK prior to his shows.

Richard Brooks, Chair of the Bristol & District branch of the Campaign for Real Ale said:

"The Good Beer Guide is the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide, which showcases 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK. It is the definitive source for those seeking top quality ale and cider, and the guide includes 63 pubs chosen by our local Bristol & District branch, covering Bristol and parts of South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. (Bath & Borders branch has its own separate allocation.)

Those 63 pubs were the subject of many visits and much debate amongst local members over the last 12 months, and many more pubs were nominated than we have space for. As is the case every year the selection procedure was particularly close in our branch area and a number of pubs that serve quality real ale have narrowly missed out on inclusion.

A place in the guide is much sought after by all licensees who are serious about keeping real ale, so commiserations to those pubs that are not included. It doesn’t mean that you don’t sell good quality beer, it’s just that the competition continues to increase and we are restricted on numbers of pubs that can be included.

Nobody who enjoys a quality pint of ale should be without this book – especially if you plan to travel around the UK for business or pleasure. The guide will steer you towards some of the pubs with the best quality beer in that area, and you could always try other pubs nearby as well. Even if you bought the guide last year, the ever-changing pub industry means that a significant amount of it will now be out of date.

Although the cover price is £16.99, for the launch day only it will be available at the bargain price of £15, or just £12 to card-carrying CAMRA members. So come along and purchase a copy of this brand new edition."

If you can't make the launch event at the Seven Stars on 26th September you can buy the Good Beer Guide direct from CAMRA at: Good Beer Guide 2026 - CAMRA shop

Contact: bristol@camrabristol.org.uk

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