![[Cover]](../../2001/pics/gbg2002-small.jpg)
Good Beer Guide 2002
Edited by Roger Protz.
Published by CAMRA and sponsored by Cask Marque.
The 2002 edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide offers a whole new reading and
drinking experience for lovers of real ale. The guide has been overhauled
and redesigned from start to finish. There are still 5,000 of the best pubs
in Britain that offer cask beer in tip-top condition but 4,000 of the
entries now have longer descriptions and there are a 1,000 shorter try-alsos ("Inn Briefs").
"Don't go to the pub without it!"
The Good Beer Guide 2002 costs £12.99 from bookshops or direct from CAMRA head office.
For CAMRA members the price is only £9, so if you're not a member of
the Campaign, now is the time to join!
In addition to the usual definitive Breweries section,
there are articles on
the state of the brewing industry (excerpts below),
the battle to save Britain's country pubs,
the campaign to improve pub food
and the growing number of bottle-fermented beers.
See also the Good Beer Guide 2002 on the CAMRA HQ web site.
In the past ten years over 40 breweries have closed and the regional and family brewers' share of the
beer market has fallen from 22% to 15%.
Cask Marque is one response to that but the
main cause is the way the large pubcos demand deep discounts from big breweries, cutting out the
smaller ones. 73% of pubs are closed to small brewers.
If a great wine-making region or brand in France was under threat, the French government would
do something about it.
CAMRA continues to campaign for all landlords to have free choice of at least one guest draught beer.
These pubs were voted by CAMRA members as being worthy of inclusion.
- Babraham:
- George
- Cambridge:
- Alma
- Bird In Hand
- Cambridge Blue
- Castle Inn
- Champion of the Thames
- Elm Tree
- Empress
- Grapes
- Kingston Arms
- Live & Let Live
- Portland Arms
- St Radegund
- Wrestlers
- Ely:
- Fountain
- Prince Albert
- West End House
- Fowlmere:
- Chequers
- Fulbourn:
- Six Bells
- Grantchester:
- Blue Ball
- Great Chishill:
- Pheasant
- Hinxton:
- Red Lion
- Histon:
- Red Lion
- Isleham:
- Merry Monk
- Longstowe:
- Red House
- Little Downham:
- Plough
- Milton:
- Waggon & Horses
- Newton:
- Queen's Head
- Over:
- Admiral Vernon
- Reach:
- Dyke's End
- Thriplow:
- Green Man
- Upware:
- Five Miles From Anywhere
- Whittlesford:
- Bees In The Wall
- Willingham:
- Three Tuns
AA The Pub Guide 2002
By way of contrast with the Good Beer Guide, the
latest edition of the AA's guide
lists the following curious selection for Cambridge, with the claim "best pubs for character and real ale".
- Anchor;
- Cambridge Blue (fails to mention it's no-smoking);
- Eagle ("good GK beers and wide-ranging pub menu");
- Free Press (still describes the 1978-2000 decor, before the
Lloyds moved out);
- Live & Let Live (mainly describes the legendary Sunday night music of Dave);
- Tram Depot.
The Good Pub Guide has a strangely similar selection: it lists the Anchor, the Cambridge Blue,
the Eagle and the Live & Let Live.
ALE Autumn 2001 No. 304
: Next section
Cambridge & District CAMRA