THE GOOD PUB GUIDE AWARDS 2020: THE BEST OF THE REST

BREWERY OF THE YEAR 2020 Oakham began brewing in Rutland in 1993. Their first beer, JHB, was named after Sir Jeffrey Hudson, a17th-century court dwarf who lived in Oakham and was known as the smallest man from England’s smallest county. JHB was soon to win CAMRA’s ‘Supreme Champion Beer of Great Britain’ prize and was…

BREWERY OF THE YEAR 2020

Oakham began brewing in Rutland in 1993. Their first beer, JHB, was named after Sir Jeffrey Hudson, a17th-century court dwarf who lived in Oakham and was known as the smallest man from England’s smallest county. JHB was soon to win CAMRA’s ‘Supreme Champion Beer of Great Britain’ prize and was followed by other award-winning ales including Bishops Farewell, Citra, Inferno and Scarley Macaw. They also brew a dozen seasonal choices and craft beer production began in 2014 with Green Devils IPA.

In 1998 they moved to a larger site in a former labour exchange in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. This became the Brewery Tap (a much loved Main Entry in the Guide) with the bar and brewery being divided up by a two-storey glass wall giving fascinating views of the brew plant. As demand rapidly increased and capacity in the pub was reached, a second brewery was opened in the Woodston area of Peterborough. They now supply around 350 outlets and brew 30,000 barrells per year. Oakham is our Brewery of the Year 2020.

BEER PUB OF THE YEAR 2020

Our Top Ten Beer Pubs are spread across Britain: the Bhurtpore in Aston (Cheshire), Tom Cobley in Spreyton (Devon), Fat Cat in Norwich (Norfolk), Malt Shovel in Northampton (Northamptonshire), Halfway House at Pitney (Somerset), Fat Cat in Ipswich (Suffolk), Nags Head in Malvern (Worcestershire), Maltings in York (Yorkshire), Harp in London and Guildford Arms in Edinburgh (Scotland). There’s a fantastic range of interesting beers to be found at all of these pubs, but the 32 real ales perfectly kept by the knowledgeable Colin Keatley wins his Fat Cat in Norwich our award for Beer Pub of the Year 2020.

OWN BREW PUB OF THE YEAR 2020

You’ll typically save yourself 43p a pint if you drink at one of the own-brew pubs in this edition of the Good Pub Guide. Our Top Ten Own-Brew Pubs are the Brewery Tap in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire), Drunken Duck near Hawskhead, Watermill at Ings and Beer Hall at Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley (all Cumbira), Boot in Repton (Derbyshire), Church Inn at Uppermill (Lancashire), Grainstore in Oakham (Leicestershire), Dipton Mill at Diptonmill and Ship at Newton-by-the-Sea (both Northumbria) and Gribble Inn at Oving (Sussex). Our Own-Brew Pub of the Year 2020 is the Beer Hall at Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley.

WINE PUB OF THE YEAR 2020

Of our Main Entry pubs, 357 hold one of our Wine Awards, meaning that they keep a remarkable and carefully chosen wine list. Our Top Ten Wine Pubs are the Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire), Acorn at Evershot (Dorset), Inn at Whitewell at Whitewell (Lancashire), Olive Branch in Clipsham (Leicestershire), Luttrell Arms in Dunster and Woods in Dulverton (both Somerset), Duncombe Arms at Ellastone (Staffordshire), Unruly Pig in Bromeswell and Crown in Stoke-by-Nayland (both Suffolk) and Griffin in Felinfach (Wales). The generous, spirited and exceptionally knowledgeable Paddy Groves reckons he could put 1,000 wines up on the bar and will open any of them (with a value up to £100) for just a glass – Woods in Dulverton is our Wine Pub of the Year 2020.

WHISKY PUB OF THE YEAR 2020

You can be sure to find a fine range of malt whiskies in our Top Ten Whisky list: Bhurtpore in Aston and Old Harkers Arms in Chester (both Cheshire), Acorn in Evershot (Dorset), Red Fox in Thornton Hough (Lancashire), Black Jug in Horsham (Sussex), Pack Horse in Widdop and Sandpiper in Leyburn (both Yorkshire), Bow Bar in Edinburgh, Bon Accord in Glasgow and Sligachan Hotel on the Isle of Skye (all Scotland). With an extraordinary 500-strong collection, the Bon Accord in Glasgow is our Whisky Pub of the Year 2020.

GIN PUB OF THE YEAR 2020

The love-affair with gin continus unabated. All the Brunning & Price pubs keep an extraordinary number of choices and styles, and across Britain new gin distilleries are constantly popping up, with some pubs even opening their own. For their staggering collection of 400-plus gins, the Cholmondeley Arms in Cholmondeley (Cheshire) is our Gin Pub of the Year 2020.