The brand new Good Beer Guide has announced Wales' best pub for 2023 as the top-selling guide celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) Guide, which surveys 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, is the definitive beer drinker’s guide to the very best pints in the most picturesque and friendly pubs. Compiled by thousands of independent volunteers, it helps identify significant trends and themes across the pub sector.
Wales' top pub, as crowned by the Guide, is Mold Alehouse, found in the centre of the town and is complimented for its 'good beer, fellowship and conversation'.
The Guide says: "Since opening in 2016, this micropub has won many CAMRA awards and gained a strong following based on sound principles of good beer, fellowship and conversation. It is centrally situated in a Grade II-listed building opposite the town hall and near Daniel Owen Square, and home to Mold Library & Museum. The four cask ales include a dark beer, and there are also five Key Keg lines and four ciders.
Read more: 40 cosy pubs in Wales with real fires to cwtch up in front of
Other than the Alehouse, which also took the Wales title last year, there are the 35 new additions from Wales and the best pub in each CAMRA branch area - you can see those listed below. The Guide is based entirely on personal recommendations made by local CAMRA members, which are rigorously reviewed by branches and editors.
Recommendations consider beer quality as well as the history and architecture of a pub and various aspects such as food, gardens, family and disabled facilities, and special events. CAMRA does not take any fees for listings to ensure the guide remains independent and unbiased.
The first edition of The Good Beer Guide, in 1974, was just 96 pages in length and listed around 1,500 pubs with a brewery section covering just 105 brewing companies. Today, the Good Beer Guide features 1,864 breweries across the nation. Just five pubs across the UK have made it into each edition of the Guide – known as the “famous five”. These pubs include the Star Tavern and the Buckingham Arms in London, the Roscoe Head in Liverpool, the Square & Compass in Dorset, and the Queen’s Head in Newton, Cambridgeshire.
CAMRA’s National Chairman Nik Antona said: “It is a huge achievement that we’re able to celebrate 50 years of publishing the Good Beer Guide , and a real testament to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, who undertake the assessments.
“What makes the Guide unique is that all the entries are compiled and vetted by a huge volunteer team based around the country. We work hard to ensure that all areas of the country are covered and, unlike some competitor titles, inclusion in this book is dependent on merit - not on payment.
“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 open and thriving. I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s Guide to visit the very best pubs across the UK and support them for generations to come.”
The new Welsh pubs added to the Guide
- Abermule Inn, Abermule
- Hop In Beer & Gin House, Brecon
- Treebeards Bar, Crickhowell
- Griffin, Felinfach
- King's Head, Guilsfield
- Station Grill Bar & Restaurant, Llansantffraid
- Old Bakehouse, Welshpool
- Boat, Erbistock
- Liberty Tavern, Llangollen
- Sun Inn, Llangollen
- Castle Inn, Rhuddlan
- Esplanade Club, Rhyl
- Royal Oak, Wrexham
- The Crown, Aberffraw
- The Castle, Abergele
- Adelphi Vaults, Amlwch Port
- Tafarn Y Glôb, Bangor
- Patricks, Bangor
- Cross Foxes, Brithdir
- Gladstone, Dwygyfylchi
- Parciau Arms, Marianglas
- Eagles, Penmachno
- Bottle & Barrel, Aberystwyth
- Forest Arms, Brechfa
- Brewery Inn, Cosheston
- Artramont Arms, Croesgoch
- Freemasons Arms, Dinas Cross
- Ship Aground, Dinas Cross
- Tafarn Jem, Harford
- Bridge End Inn, Llanychaer
- Ffynnone Arms, Newchapel
- Dyffryn Arms, Pontfaen
- The Ship, Solva
- Square & Compass Inn, Square & Compass
- White Hart, St Dogmaels
The Regional CAMRA branch winners in Wales
- Black Cloak Brewery & Tap room - Abercolwyn Branch
- Ship & Castle, Aberystwyth - Bae Ceredigion and West Wales Branch
- The Royal Oak, Pencelli - Brecknock Branch
- The Golden Lion, Penarth - Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend Branch
- Queen's Head, Chepstow - Gwent Branch
- The Torrent Walk Hotel in Dolgellau - Gwynedd a Mon Branch
- The Cross Inn, Llantrisant - Mid Glamorgan Branch
- Ancient Briton, Pen y Cae - Neath & Port Talbot Branch
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