NEWS

You have until 18th October to send us your nominations. It's that time of the year again when we ask you to nominate your choice for the Brewer of the Year (sponsored by SIBA) and Beer of the Year, and give your reasons. The two awards will be presented at our annual Awards & Dinner, taking place at Big Penny Social on Wednesday 25th November. Please note, nominations can only be submitted by individual Guild members. If you are not an individual Guild member, your nominatio

The new 4.1% West Coast IPA will receive its first pour across more than 70 Fuller’s pubs on 15 October. Fuller’s Pub Company and independent brewer Jiddler’s Tipple have unveiled London Tipple, a new 4.1% West Coast IPA developed collaboratively over 15 months. The beer takes inspiration from the rich malt character of classic London cask beer and gives it a modern West Coast spin. Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops bring zesty grapefruit, pine and resinous notes, balance

Approximately 360 pubs could call last orders by the end of the year, after 295 pubs permanently shut in the first nine months of 2026 Closures will equate to around 5,000 jobs losses, including over 2,500 for under-25s The BBPA says that the high tax burden and cost of regulation is at the heart of many pub closures and called on Government to “tackle the root of the problem” Trade body calls on Government to build on their valued support by using the Budget to permanently r

Morrisons is to stock Wonderwall lager in its supermarkets nationwide from this week (w/c October 12) on an exclusive basis for 2026. Sold in packs of 4x440ml cans with an RSP of £5, the 4% lager will have a prominent position on trade tables at the front of Morrisons stores. The deal with Morrisons marks the biggest listing yet for Wonderwall lager, which is brewed for brand owner Sunlit Minds by Freedom Brewery. Crisp, clean and sessionable, it has a light straw colour and

With a record-breaking year-to-date leaving Budweiser Budvar UK in the strongest position it has been in since first launching in the UK in 2005, the Czech national brewer has announced the appointment of Rich Sanna as its new Managing Director. Moving from the position of Commercial Director and representing a natural continuation for the business, Sanna joined Budweiser Budvar UK in 2019 and has been working closely with Jitka Vlčková, under whose six-year leadership the br

Great American Beer Festival ® Competition Winners Announced Denver, Colo. • October 11, 2026— The Brewers Association (BA) announced the beers and ciders taking home medals at this year's Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) competition. New this year, the competition added categories including rice lager, hop water, and a one-time craft malt category, along with two new specialty beer subcategories and three new standalone gluten-free style categories. A total of 243 brewer

Ten years of the competition, new beer categories and a Reserve option — Early Bird until 31 December 2026 Entries are now open for the Greek Beer Awards 2027, welcoming breweries from all European countries –including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom– alongside Mediterranean countries in Africa and Asia. Organized in Greece by BeerBartender since 2017, the competition marks ten years since its launch with its widest geographical reach to date. Breweri

Left: photo of a young CAMRA Chairman, Ash Corbett-Collins at Marston's brewery; right: photo of Ash Corbett-Collins in Westminster CAMRA reacts angrily to latest move from global brewer CAMRA has reacted with anger to the news that Carlsberg intends to close its Burton brewing site in 2027. The consumer giants have renewed demands for the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate how global interests have consolidated the UK beer market and are supportive of Carlsberg

Pubs, bars and taprooms across the UK will be pouring pints at Germany’s lower tax rates tomorrow (Friday 9 October) as part of the Drop the Pint Day to highlight the potential benefits of a lower tax on pub beer ahead of the Budget later this month. The UK has one of the highest rates of tax on pub pints in Europe which is ten times as high as in Germany. Independent research revealed today finds that if the UK had a similar tax level as Germany it could create over 16,000 n

The BII is delighted to announce the finalists for this year’s National Innovation in Training Awards (NITAs). The training, development and care of teams is central to the success of our sector, and the NITAs recognise those individuals and companies who go above and beyond in this space. All of the finalists can be seen below or on the BII website – we can’t wait to meet all of them later this month, as our judges dig deeper into their submissions and find this year’s winne

Historic England Conservation 2026 winner, The Woodman in Birmingham, James O. Davies Pub Design Awards are back for 2027! Pubs across the UK are being urged to enter CAMRA’s Pub Design Awards. This coveted award not only celebrates the UK’s most picturesque hostelries, but seeks out hidden gems where people have converted a building into a pub. One of 2026’s winners was St Peter’s Tavern in Liverpool, set inside a stunning 1788 church, while converted high street shops provi

Monday 19th October 8-9pm BST Online Course Join Beer Writer of the Year (2019,2021) and chair of the Guild Jonny Garrett for an hour-long session introducing you to the wild world of social video – now one of the most powerful ways to reach the beer drinking audience and promote the rest of your work. We'll explore what has made a success of several influencers and broadcasters from (Jonny's own) Craft Beer Channel and Historic Pub Crawls, to more mainstream communicators li

You have until 18th October to send us your nominations. It's that time of the year again when we ask you to nominate your choice for the Brewer of the Year (sponsored by SIBA) and Beer of the Year, and give your reasons. The two awards will be presented at our annual Awards & Dinner, taking place at Big Penny Social on Wednesday 25th November. Please note, nominations can only be submitted by individual Guild members. If you are not an individual Guild member, your nominatio

This Halloween sees the return of Haunted Highlander (3.4% ABV) – a ruby rye ale from Belhaven Brewery, Scotland’s oldest brewery. Available throughout October, Haunted Highlander is a full-bodied ale brewed with the finest rye, delivering a rich flavour, making it perfect for autumn nights. Haunted Highlander celebrates Belhaven’s proud brewing heritage, which spans more than 300 years, and is inspired by Scotland’s supernatural folklore and the atmospheric Highlands. Haunte

The fight for the pint and the nation by Sivamohan Valluvan and Amit Singh Publisher: Manchester University Press Publishing Date: October 2026 Price: £18.99 Pages: 264 (Hardback) ISBN: 9781526194541 A heartfelt case for why the English pub still matters and how we can save it. In Pubs for the people, Amit Singh and Sivamohan Valluvan offer a daring defence of the humble public house, waging battle against those who see the pub only as a poignant symbol of a bygone England. M

Admiral Taverns, the UK’s leading community pub company is pleased to announce the acquisition of community pub operator Mountain Pub Company from specialist investment manager, Downing. Led by Helen Standing, Mountain Pubs operates a portfolio of 10 high quality, wet-led, operator manged community pubs, which sit at the heart of several local communities across the North of England. Pubs include The Southport Coaster (Southport) and The White Hart (Todmorden). Upon completio

Bedford, 7th October 2026: Wells & Co. has appointed hospitality industry leader Gavin George as a Non-Executive Director, further strengthening the Board as the family-owned pub and brewing business continues to focus on long-term growth and delivering exceptional guest experiences. Gavin brings more than 30 years of hospitality leadership experience, having co-founded and led the Laine Pub & Brewing Company, building the business to more than 60 sites across Brighton, Londo

Guild members can access a discount code by logging into the Membership Area. If you have not registered for the website, please email secretary@beerguild.co.uk As we enter the final quarter of the year, I would like to highlight some of the training courses being offered by the NCTJ’s Journalism Skills Academy this autumn – a great time to develop skills and knowledge ahead of the new year. Our online masterclass and lunch and learn training sessions are perfect for members

A multi-award-winning brewery is looking to spread the festive cheer this year by rewarding its valued pub customers with a free Christmas tree. Woodforde’s is offering its on-trade customers the chance to win a free locally-grown tree in return for their orders in the run-up to yuletide. The trees have been purchased through a new partnership with Norfolk Christmas Trees, a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) based at Great Melton Farms near Norw

The Thistle reopens following major investment with long-standing manager Debbie McInally taking the helm under Amber’s operator-managed model Amber Taverns has completed a six-figure investment in The Thistle in Alloa, transforming the Junction Place pub and creating 15 new jobs. The reopening sees Amber retain experienced local publican Debbie McInally who has worked at The Thistle for 18 years and previously managed the venue for its former owners. Now operating the pub un