West Berkshire's best pubs named in annual beer guide

The Guide is the most up to date featuring best real ale pubs in the UK and is compiled solely through recommendations and independent judgement. Unlike other guides, which charge pubs to feature, the Good Beer Guide lists pubs on their merit alone and does not charge pubs or brewerys for entry.
There are 11 West Berkshire locals featured in this year’s guide, including five new entries for this year.
They are The Bell at Aldworth; The Six Bells at Beenham; The Pot Kiln at Frilsham; The John O’ Gaunt, Hungerford; The Swan Inn at Inkpen; the Five Bells at Wickham, The Rowbarge at Woolhampton and The Royal Oak at Yattendon. Newbury’s The Hatchett Inn, Lock, Stock & Barrel, and the King Charles Tavern also feature.
The guide was launched by West Berkshire’s branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) at The Rowbarge last Thursday.
Publican of The Swan at Inkpen, Bernard Harris, said: “I am delighted to feature in the Good Beer Guide for 2015, just ahead of our 20th Anniversary of running the Pub. We always carry organic real ales from Butts Brewery which complement the organic beef from our own farm.”
On hearing that The Six Bells, Beenham was to be included in the Guide for the seventh consecutive year, Glynis Harman, owner, said “I’m so pleased to be included again in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide”.
Her husband, Chris, went on to say. “As a small village Pub we need to ensure that our beer and food offerings are top quality, and the continuing recognition of our beer condition is very satisfying.
Our real ale sales have increased year on year, and we are able to offer three real ales from breweries near and far.”
The Guide is available in hardcopy and as an ‘App’.
West Berkshire CAMRA chairman, Richard Scullion, said: “The fact that over 40% are new this year gives credit not only to the work of those publicans in driving the quality and consistency of real ale, but evidences the intense competition that takes place to gain one of the eleven entries available.
“The selection of entries is a true grass roots process, based upon beer drinkers scoring the quality of the ales in the pubs they visit and submitted to the branch via the website. It’s fair to say that I use the guide as a first reference to which pubs I may visit when venturing further afield.”