33 Good Beer Guide ticks for the month of July is a typically modest return during this tricky month of zero holidays and a blank Saturday. Elaborate #ThirstyThursdays were required just to keep my often sweaty head above water.
York Tap sweaty head above water
It's that dangerous time of year where I feel like I'm making good progress, but lurking in the back of my mind is that a mere six weeks from now, the 2027 Good Beer Guide will arrive on my doorstep, and the #CruelChurn will come crashing down on me like a guillotine, chopping approximately 325* pubs from my total.
*If I tick 60 more pubs, that'll leave me on 3616. 9% is about standard loss for me.
So I'll enjoy these inflated figures while I can. I move onto 79.02% GBG completion, and I will hit the 80% landmark by early September at the latest.
943 pubs remain ..... hang on, breaking news, better make that 944 as Bridlington's 3B's Micropub has finally opened in its new premises as displayed in the GBG. Grrrr.
I also managed 13 pre-emptives in July, not the strongest suit in the world and I can't see more than 2-3 of them 'coming good' but ya just never know. Although when it comes to the Regal in Cambridge, I think we do!
Excellent Bass at Knaresborough's Track & Sleeper - as pre-emptive as July got
In other news, we waved goodbye to two mascots - Ivor Panda & Kale Joseph, casualties of Hull City's promotion to the Premier League although we have welcomed back Oscar the Owl from his year long Columbian doping ban. Amazing what you can fit up an owls bum hole. Just ask Ollie Beak.
Oscar returns at the Pickerel, Cambridge
And whilst we're on a vague football theme, the World Cup ended in slight disappointment again but I really enjoyed staying up 'til 2am watching random matches.
Despite my low monthly total, I achieved my ticks across 12 counties which I believe is a BRAPA record.
So I hope this next bit isn't too painful as we take a look at the 12 maps with a progress update and a pub of the month.
Durham (2 ticks, 1 left, 98.77% completion)
Cheeky little evening duo at Darlo and Newton Aycliffe means that awkward Sedgefield (boooo) remains my only tick. Why so awkward? Not open on a weekend at all unless they've got a beer fest on, and only open from 7:30pm in the week. I've worked out it is close enough to home to get there and back in the night after work, but can I be bothered? We'll see.
Steam Machine, Newton Aycliffe. No cask, but not sure anyone cared. Good place anyway.
Derbyshire (4 ticks, 3 left, 96.81%)
A train day with Daddy BRAPA helped me tidy up South Derbys, which just leaves me with three randomly dotted around the north. Bolsover failed me in the snow, I walked past Bakewell without going in which was quite silly, and I went to Castleton last year but not this pub which is annoying. So unless someone volunteers to drive me, Derbyshire can get bent until the next Beer Guide.
Milking Parlour, Calke. Quality farm-based brewery tap for Tollgate. Dad says it'll be 2027 CAMRA 'pub' of year
Surrey (5 ticks, 14 left, 80% completion)
I'm reducing my Surrey deficit nicely after a sweltering #ThirstyThursday out east, but I'm not willing to settle just yet. Good news is former BRAPA post-Covid hero Ed Wray is meeting up with me to give me a hand in August. Single figures by mid Sept, and when the new Guide comes out and London gaps appear, I can combine the two. Chelsea away? I'd rather Surrey! Oh, and exciting shit like Farnham and Frimley should combine well with my plans to get stuck back into Hants. That's the plan anyway.
#PubCat of the month (by default) at Surrey pub of the month - Falkland Arms, Dorking
Essex (6 ticks, 10 left, 90.83% complete)
Like Surrey (but better) I was miffed with my 20+ remaining ticks in Essex just a couple of months ago. But now I've brought it down to almost single figures (or actual single figures if you are Mummy BRAPA because she says 0 doesn't count as a figure). She's funny like that! Big thanks to Simon Dewhurst for driving us around, shame Daddy BRAPA kept being sick. That's a blog I'm really looking forward to writing in the coming weeks! Potential for a South Essex day still, but think I've run out of time for '26.
Carpenters Arms, Maldon - surprisingly great although we went to sit outside after this
Look top left! This is the closest page I have to falling out. Which compared with last GBG where I lost about 30 pages by the end (thankfully all in places I ticked). I must've taken better care of my book this year, or maybe the binding is just better? By the way, the brewery section still looks brand new ..... obviously!! Worcs is a great county isn't it? And my most elaborate #ThirstyThursday so far took me to Upton-upon-Severn and beyond. Opening hours and tricky locations mean I'll need the odd overnighter if I'm to complete much more, so this is one county which roll on into 2027.
Three Kings, Hanley Castle. Amazing.
Herefordshire (2 ticks, 17 left, 34.62%)
Half way through these county reviews, you are doing well, keep going! I've got to break off for my steak soon, watch Home & Away have a shower and do an online Sainsbury's order so 9pm might be pushing it. Oh well!
Anyway, Herefordshire is a funny one. I'm yet to get properly stuck into it, but I'm looking at a week in 2027 where I combine it with South Shrops. Worcs which we've just talked about, and a bit of Mid Wales. Neglected it so far cos Herefordshire is the least pubby populated county in England .... well unless you count Rutland but you weren't gonna be that pedantic were you?
Malvern Hills Hotel, British Camp. Touch of class.
Cambs is another county I've argued down from an annoying 20+ position to (almost) single figures in recent months. Suffolk is high on the agenda for my 2026/27 season (though annoyingly, Ipswich away is in Jan, NOT a time I really want a week's ticking) so those eastern 'reaches' (geddit) might pair well with a bit of BSE/Newmarket area. Crazy OS walks incoming, unless a kind man with a name beginning with 'Malt' who lives local offers to drive me around OF COURSE. I won't ask though, I'm no beg, always gotta wait to be asked (unless it is Daddy BRAPA! Joking. Sort of).
Nice lapsed Forest fan at Royal Standard, Cambridge (something to do with Anderlecht and a yellow card)
Northamptonshire (2 ticks, 8 pubs left, 82.22%)
A bit of Daddy BRAPA driving genius last Saturday (he'd taken me to King's Cliffe last year so there was a precedent). It yielded two great ticks in the always underrated Northants, and all being well there's a bit more to come in August. Been trying to plan an 'outer Kettering' day for ages now, but as a York resident, it is one of those places I never know how to approach it (London and up, or Sheffield and down?) And Stoke Bruerne is a must, I've heard it's good and it ain't going away!
Pub of the month - Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick. Conkers, thatch, good ale, great staff, bad wasp.
Lincolnshire (1 tick, 3 left, 97.25% complete)
Stamford return at last! And it wasn't as irritating as I remember it from my 'Tobbie Norris pushing past a pub queue' day all those years ago. Deserves to be in Rutland really, Lincs doesn't suit it. Anyway, this is the closest I've ever come to completing Lincs. Maybe 2027 will be the year. I'm already looking forward to that most classic annual Daddy BRAPA car day, dreary wet November grey up and down the bleak A15 drinking Doom Bar & flabby FAB ales in dining pubs where the locals hate you.
Pub of the month (by default) - Millstone, Stamford. Greyest pub of 2026, but a 5* pint of Oakham Citra
It ain't been a vintage BRAPA year in Leics, one of those counties it is easy to forget exists. Not that it's half bad once you're in the throes of it. Just the thought 'have I got the energy for this?' Like watching live Stewart Lee stand up. Good news for me is that four of my remaining twelve are in Leicester itself so I can bring it down to respectability without too much effort, which I plan to do with Dad in Aug. I'll pay it better attention in '27 though it might need an overnighter cos some of the village opening hours are a bit pissy, no matter which day you select.
Black Horse, Grimston (not amazing but it wins by default because people queued in Melton Mowbray!)
Nottinghamshire (1 tick, 100% complete, woohoo)
That's a nice sight innit? Not had many 100%ers this year, quite frankly at my stage of GBG completion it isn't as important as making dents in counties with lots left, if that makes sense. In fact, I was pretty chillaxed (ooh, not heard that word since 2015!) about Blidders, but it was such a nice stepping stone on our way back to York by car following Grimmy and Melton Moggers that it made perfect sense. Especially with my bladder. Well played all.
Smooth and 'balaned'. Quality PP, and the pub was actually good.
Warwickshire (2 ticked, 5 left, 89.58% complete)
I've worked harder at Warwicks than any other county this year, coming from nowhere to be close to completion. It won't happen, but still a slight chance I might squeeze 1 or 2 more out before mid Sept. I've been impressed. Not Worcs impressed, but impressed. Although Stratford, Leamington Spa and Warwick are fairly disappointing pub towns for their size / part of the country, a plethora of rural beauties exist out in the sticks.
Case is Altered, Five Ways
So there we have it.
My overall favourite pub this month is the Three Kings at Hanley Castle just edging out Case is Altered. Best pint was that Oakham Citra in the Millstone Stamford or my Ledbury at British Camp, or maybe even the Harry Kane themed one at Bull Baiters in Worcester.
Heading into August ....... let's see 'where my head is at' ..... over to you Rachel :
Thanks Rachel.
So I think my numbers will be up in August, not hugely, but I'd be disappointed to come out under 40. I have a mini weekend break in my 8th worst English county. And my next official holiday begins on the last day of August. I do have a couple of publess Thursday's though, so that might slow me down.
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