More than a dozen pubs and six breweries in Brecon and Radnorshire have been included in the prestigious Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide.
The UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide is celebrating its 51st edition with a striking cover and a foreword supplied by Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson.
The Guide, which surveys 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nation’s pubs.
Dickinson’s foreword shines a spotlight on the cultural tradition of pubs within the UK, the importance of protecting the heritage, charm and welcoming nature of pubs and clubs, and not taking them for granted.
The Good Beer Guide, which is published annually by CAMRA, helps beer lovers take a barometer of the local beer scene. As well as covering 318 of the very best pubs across Wales, it keeps track of brewery numbers, and notes a net loss of seven breweries across the counties.
The story is the same across the UK, as although the Guide records 82 new breweries, 142 have closed. This net loss of 60 breweries is a worrying reminder that a lack of support from the Government means dire consequences for local businesses, in the wake of a cost-of-business crisis and the constant pressure of fuel bills.
This year’s Guide contains 910 newly featured pubs, which is a fantastic prospect for the pub trade which has been struggling to stay afloat in recent years following the pandemic and rising fuel costs. The trade also faces an impending threat from unlawful demolitions, which CAMRA has declared a ‘national scandal’ in the wake of the demolition of the Crooked House in Himley.
CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said: “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 and breweries open and thriving. I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s Guide to visit the very best pubs and breweries across the UK and support them for generations to come."
The guide reviews over 4,500 pubs across the UK and is the definitive beer drinkers’ guide to the very best pints in a variety of styles of pubs to suit individual tastes. Compiled by thousands of independent volunteers, it helps identify significant trends and themes locally and nationally.
In Brecon, both Brecon Tap and Hop in Beer & Gin House made the prestigious guide.
Brecon Tap was praised for its “light and airy feel” which complimented the guest ales on offer and an interesting range of international and UK craft ales. Hop in Beer & Gin House was established in 2020 and the guide notes how it has already built an “excellent reputation” while praising the real and craft ales and an “equally impressive range of around 40 gins”.
Builth Wells’ Fountain Inn in the town centre also made the cut, along with the Seven Stars Inn in Aberedw and New Inn in Bwlch.
The Royal Oak in Gladesty is included, which is run by “a local couple with an excellent reputation for quality ale and food."
Moving further south back towards Brecon, the Three Horseshoes Inn in Groesffordd made the grade, noted for its “excellent” food and “varied and interesting” ales.
Two Crickhowell pubs were included, in the renowned Bear Hotel and the micropub Treebeards Bar, in the heart of the town.
The nearby Red Lion in Llangynidr made the guide and is described as “a pub for all”.
Knighton’s Watsons Ale House is included, as is the Neuadd Arms Hotel in Llanwrtyd Wells.
Llangunllo’s Greyhound, Llangurig’s Black Lion Hotel and The Royal Oak in Pencelli are also included in the guide.
At the south of the county, the New Inn in Ystradfellte also made the cut.
A host of breweries are also included in the guide.
Antur in Three Cocks in a new entry, opening in just 2022.
Heart of Wales in Llanwrtyd Wells and Hwgga in Llandrindod Wells also made the list.
Left Bank in Llangorse, Lucky 7 in Hay-on-Wye and Radnorshire in New Radnor are also included.
To order The Good Beer Guide 2024, visit https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/the-good-beer-guide-2024/