What Pub, Beer Scoring and the Good Beer Guide

You are probably aware of the 'Good Beer Guide', CAMRA's flagship publication which lists the best pubs in the UK. However, what you may not know is how those pubs are selected to appear in the Guide. The answer is that it is largely via beer scores submitted by CAMRA members from all over the country. So if you are a CAMRA member you can enter beer scores. If you've ever wondered why your favourite pub isn't in the Guide, this may well be because members (including yourself) visiting the pub have not scored the beers on offer. By beer scoring, you can contribute to the process of selection of pubs that go in the Good Beer Guide.

GBG Selection – Somerset Branch

The Somerset Branch of CAMRA has 51 entries in the Good Beer Guide. These are selected from a combination of the submitted beer scores and nominations from Branch Members. All pubs that appear in the guide and those who could possibly make it through to the final selection, go through a surveying process where selected Branch Members visit the pubs to ensure that all candidates are worthy of entry. Any Branch Member can take part in this surveying process and therefore if you are interested in being involved then please attend the November Branch Meeting.

So how do I score the quality of the beer?

You don't have to be an 'expert' to begin scoring your beer. However, it is not about your personal favourite beer receiving the highest scores! You may try a beer that isn't to your normal taste but what you need to consider is the quality of that beer, how well the pub has kept it and served it, and score it according to the general guide below. It is has been simplified in June 2026. The system of a ten point range from 0 to 5, with half points being used if your opinion of the beer falls between two categories, has been removed and replaced with descriptions as follows :

UNDRINKABLE : Unpleasant to drink, likely with a disgusting taste, incorrect appearance and off or foul aroma. (you politely ask for a replacement and consider asking the publican to take it off)

POOR : Noticeably imperfect. (Drinkable with resentment but do politely ask for a replacement)

ACCEPTABLE : Unremarkable and ordinary, with no noteworthy characteristics. (you are unlikely to have another unless it is all there is and there isn't another pub nearby)

GOOD : Nice appearance, good carbonation, aromas and flavour. (Pleasant but not memorable, your happy to have another but might consider something else)

VERY GOOD : satisfying and well kept with a great appearance good carbonation and enticing aromas and flavours. (You consider having another and cancel plans to move to another pub)

EXCELLENT : Exceptional and Clear (if intended to be) fantastic aromas, flavours and good carbonation. (Superb! you tell your friends and compliment the cellar manager)

How do I submit my scores?

In order to submit your scores you need to login to CAMRA's online pub guide www.whatpub.com either on a computer or by smart phone. Here you will find a list of over 35,800 real ale pubs from all over the UK; these are not all Good Beer Guide pubs, merely pubs that serve real ale. In order to start submitting scores via What Pub you need to:-

1. Login. To do this you need your membership number and your CAMRA password.

2. You can then search for your pub by name. Be careful here as there are many pubs in the country which share the same name. The advice is to search by the pub name and the town. The What Pub smart phone web page also gives you the option to search for real ale pubs nearby, very useful if you are in an unfamiliar town.

3. Once you have found your pub a 'Submit Beer Scores' box will appear on the left hand side of the screen (or on the tab bar underneath the pub photo if you are using a smart phone).

4. Simply fill in the date and your score then as you begin typing the brewery name should automatically appear underneath were you are typing. You do not have to enter the name of the beer you are drinking but if you wish to do so once you have entered the brewery name you should be able to click on the arrow in the Beer box and a drop down list of that brewery's beers should appear. In some cases the beer you are drinking may be new or a one off by the Brewery so may not appear on the list, if this is the case you can simply type in the beer name. Select the correct one click 'submit score' and your score will be entered into the database. It is as simple as that.

An added bonus is that it will keep a record of your scores so you can look back to see what beers you have had and how you rated them if you want.