THE GOOD PUB GUIDE NATIONAL AWARDS 2021

THE GOOD PUB GUIDE is a national institution – a bible for pub-goers.  Now in its 39^th edition, it is Britain’s best-loved pub guide and as invaluable as ever.  With regular feedback from its loyal and eagle-eyed correspondents who look for real warmth and quality of service, it is the pub-goers’ recommendations, backed up by editor inspections, that determine who’s in and who’s out year on year. In this most difficult of years, we’re pleased to announce the winners of our 2021 National Awards.

TOP TEN OWN-BREW PUBS

You’ll find that the beers are significantly cheaper at the own-brew pubs featured in the Guide. Our Top Ten Own-Brew Pubs are the Brewery Tap in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire), Beer Hall at Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley, Drunken Duck near Hawkshead and Watermill at Ings (all Cumbria), Boot in Repton (Derbyshire), Church Inn at Uppermill (Lancashire), Dipton Mill Inn at Diptonmill and Ship in Newton-by-the-Sea (both Northumbria), Gribble Inn at Oving (Sussex) and Weighbridge Brewhouse in Swindon (Wilshire).

From the on-site Hexhamshire microbrewery the quality of their beers mattes the Dipton Mill Inn at Diptonmill (Northumbria) winner of Own-Brew Pub of the Year 2021

 

TOP TEN BEER PUBS

This year’s Top Ten Beer Pubs are spread all over the country and include the Bhurtpore in Aston (Cheshire), Beer Hall at Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley (Cumbria), Tom Cobley in Spreyton (Devon), Fat Cat in Norwich (Norfolk), 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).

All these pubs keep an extraordinarily interesting list of real ales, but it’s Colin Keatley’s collection of at least 32 ales that wins the Fat Cat in Norwich the title Beer Pub of the Year 2021

TOP TEN WINE PUBS

Nowadays, wine in pubs can be extraordinarily good and quite a few places have their own little wine shop on the premises. Our Top Ten Wine Pubs are the Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire), George & Dragon at Clifton and Drunken Duck near Hawkshead (both in Cumbria), Acorn at Evershot (Dorset), Inn at Whitewell at Whitewell (Lancashire), Olive Branch in Clipsham (Leicestershire & Rutland), Duncombe Arms at Ellastone (Staffordshire), Woods in Dulverton (Somerset), Unruly Pig in Bromeswell (Suffolk) and Griffin in Felinfach (Wales).

The exceptionally knowledgeable and generous spirited Paddy Groves reckons he could put 1,000 wines up on the bar and will open any of them for just a glass — Woods in Dulverton is our Wine Pub of the Year 2021.

TOP TEN WHISKY PUBS

Stocking quite amazing collections of malt whiskies, our Top Ten Whisky Pubs are the Bhurtpore in Aston and Old Harkers Arms in Chester (both in Cheshire), Acorn in Evershot (Dorset), Red Fox at Thornton Hough (Lancashire), Angel in Larling (Norfolk), Black Jug in Horsham (Sussex), Pack Horse in Widdop (Yorkshire), Bow Bar in Edinburgh, Bon Accord in Glasgow and Sligachan Hotel on the Isle of Skye (Scotland).

With more than 500 whiskies on their gantry, the Bon Accord in Glasgow is our Whisky Pub of the Year 2021.

TOP TEN GIN PUBS

The nation’s love affair with gin continues unabated, and our Top Ten Gin Pubs this year are the Bhurtpore in Aston and Cholmondeley  Arms in Cholmondeley (both in Cheshire), Old Courthouse in Cheltenham and Bell in Selsley (both in Gloucestershire), Mill House in North Warnborough (Hampshire), Red Fox at Thornton Hough (Lancashire), Maytime at Asthall (Oxfordshire), Oakley at Brewood (Staffordshire), Haycutter in Oxted (Surrey) and Falcon at Warmington (Warwickshire).

For their vast collection of more than 400 gins, the Chomondeley Arms in Cholmondeley is our Gin Pub of the Year 2021.