New breweries and pubs freshen up Good Beer Guide

Among the new brewers getting a listing in the 2019 guide is Wolverhampton's Punchline Brewery.

The team of husband-and-wife Richard and Lisa Shackleton, Andy Bate, Louise Rowan and James Plant started the brewery in Monmore Road last year and will be celebrating at a taproom event there on Saturday from 2pm.

Each of the brewery's beers is named after the punchline of a well known joke.

Also getting in for the first time are Brewhouse & Kitchen, Lichfield; Dogbreath Brewery, Kinver and Brewery at the Firs, Codsall.

The 17 new breweries bring the total number in the region to 139.

In total the West Midlands region now has 387 pubs listed in the 46th edition of the Good Beer Guide.

In the Wolverhampton branch area two pubs have gained re-entries this year - The Horse and Jockey at Woodcross and jazz pub The Trumpet in High Street, Bilston.

New entries for the Stourbridge and Halesowen branch are The Old Bank in Coventry Street, Stourbridge and micropub The Crafty Pint in Wassell Road, Halesowen with The Swan, Long Lane, Halesowen re-entering.

In the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch area there are nine new and re-entries – Britannia, Blackheath; Black Horse and Malt Shovel, Dudley; Old Dispensary, Langley; Chapel House, Lower Gornal, The Fountain, Tipton; Britannia, Upper Gornal; Horse and Jockey, Wall Heath and Plough & Harrow, known locally as The Steps, Kinver.

The Bird in Hand in Victoria Square, Stafford, is a new entry for Heart of Staffordshire branch and The Star, Penkridge, is a re-entry.

Tom Stainer, chief communications officer at Camra said: “It’s fantastic to see the number of new pub entries in the Good Beer Guide 2019 and the continued growth in local brewing.

“We’ve seen such sweeping changes across the brewing and pub scene over the past year with brewing becoming more collaborative and socially-minded, and pubs continuing to diversify to cater for all tastes with the continued increase in micropubs, tap rooms and community-run pubs, each improving choice for drinkers.

“This is the 46th issue of the guide – a book that has become an essential companion for those with a passion for real ale and discovering the best places to find it.”

The guide is compiled through independent judgement and recommendations, and every pub that appears has been visited regularly by CAMRA members. CAMRA is a proudly independent organisation and as such all entries in the guide are free – there are no hidden costs associated with appearing.

As well as the print edition, the Good Beer Guide app is available to smartphone users. It is available on both the App Store and Google Play.

The UK's top pubs are listed in the guide, with the Fountain Inn in Leek, Staffordshire, named one of 16 finalists in the Campaign for Real Ale's National Pub of the Year competition.

The guide is available to order for £15.99 at https://gbgshop.camra.org.uk

It reports that a new wave of ‘socially-conscious’ brewing has hit Britain with a resurgence of independent breweries, with many putting social responsibility at the core of their business.

Since its first publication in 1973, the guide has annually examined the changes facing Britain’s beer and pub scene, which has seen the number of UK breweries rise to 2,500 – 1,750 of which produce real ale.

It reports that many new breweries are placing a greater emphasis on giving back to the local community by supporting charities or providing training and employment opportunities.

Smaller brewers are also becoming increasingly environmentally aware; introducing new processes to reduce their carbon footprint, and responding to consumer calls for more information on ingredients and niche products. This has resulted in more gluten-free, vegan-friendly and low-alcohol beer options than ever before, as many work to fill previous gaps in the market by creating recipes for specific audiences.

The guide also reports that many of the country’s pubs are following suit to cater for new audiences and encourage consumers to try an expanding range of exciting brews.

Some offer a variety of glass sizes to give visitors greater opportunities to try the huge, ever-changing range of real ales available. Others have diversified from the traditional pub to become micropubs, tap rooms, gastropubs and community-run pubs to cater to all tastes.