Press Release
CAMRA wins big at the British Guild of Beer Writers awards 2023
The Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) educational Learn & Discover platform and books published by consumer organisation have won British Guild of Beer Writers awards.
Two books published this year by the consumer group won the gold and silver prize in the Best Book about Beer or Pubs award category, and the Campaign’s Learn & Discover platform also won gold for Best Corporate Beer Communication.
Collaborating with esteemed writers, influencers and film makers, CAMRA’s Learn & Discover website hosts an abundance of educational articles, videos and audio material. The successful educational platform won gold for Best Corporate Beer Communication, adding to its growing haul of awards having already won gold for the same category in 2021. Explore the Learn & Discover site here.
One of the many videos on the Learn & Discover platform was also awarded silver in the Best Video Beer Communication category. Introduction to Belgian Beer by Tim Webb, author of eight editions of CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide Belgium, filmed by Bill Bradshaw in association with Visit Flanders, explores Belgium’s complex beer culture by sampling eight classic beer styles. Watch the video here.
The CAMRA published book Desi Pubs, written by David Jesudason, was the big winner of the evening, with the author claiming gold for Best Book about Beer or Pubs. David also went on to claim the prestigious Michael Jackson Award for Beer Writer of the Year, alongside gold for Best Communication about Pubs, silver for Best Self-Published Beer Writing and was highly commended for the Guild’s awards for Best Communication about Diversity in Beer and Best Commissioned Beer Writing.
The award-winning Desi Pubs book is a fascinating guide to British-Indian pubs, food and culture, taking the reader on a journey to parts of Britain that are seldom visited. The ground-breaking publication is a celebration of 21st-century Britain and the forgotten people who created our modern, multicultural country. You can purchase your copy of Desi Pubs here.
Another CAMRA published title CASK, written by Des de Moor, won silver in the Best Book about Beer or Pubs category. The book provides an in-depth look into the origins and history of cask ale and how the drink has developed and changed over time. CASK takes you behind the scenes to learn about the brewing process, from malting to conditioning, helping the reader gain a deeper understanding of the craftsmanship behind every pint. Get your copy CASK here.
The gold award for Best Communication about Cider was won by Adam Wells, who has penned the upcoming CAMRA book, Perry: A Drinker’s Guide. The title is due for publication in 2024 and will be the world’s first consumer guide for this traditional beverage. The future publication was part of a Kickstarter campaign throughout CAMRA’s inaugural Perry Month, and was successfully fully funded within 24 hours. Adam’s recent award preludes to the high quality of this upcoming release. Find more information about the perry book here.
CAMRA regularly publishes interesting books about pubs, beer, brewing, cider and perry. From pub guides and beer compendiums to homebrewing aids and heritage highlights, there is a title for everyone on CAMRA’s online bookshop here.
Alex Metcalfe, CAMRA’s Learning & Discovery Manager, said: “I am utterly stunned at CAMRA’s ongoing success at the British Guild of Beer Writers awards.
“I am so happy to see the Learn & Discover platform bestowed awards of such magnitude. I would like to thank all the amazing collaborators who have produced such high-quality articles and immersive videos for the educational platform.
“For both our authors, David Jesudason and Des de Moor, to receive well-deserved gold and silver awards for their incredible books emphasises that CAMRA’s publishing arm is fast becoming a powerhouse in the industry. If you haven’t got your own copies of the award-winning Desi Pubs and CASK yet, I would fiercely recommend picking up these two fantastic CAMRA publications.”
Commenting on this year’s awards, Guild Director Jonathan Garrett said: “This year’s winner was prolific, with David’s work shortlisted in just about every category that he could enter and always in the conversation for the gold tankard. It wasn’t just David’s writing that won the judge’s hearts, but the incredible combination of fearless humanity and personally researched history that has become his trademark. His work this year has done a wondrous thing – to make the world of beer and pubs feel that little bit bigger.”
The full list of British Guild of Beer Writers award winners can be found here.
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Notes to editors
Photo credit: Chiara Obscura
From left: Jonathan Garrett, Eoghan Walsh, David Jesudason, Mark Dredge, Georgina Young, Adam Wells, Jessica Mason, Will Hawkes, Lily Waite and Alex Metcalfe
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