CAMRA names Derbyshire Dales' best pubs and breweries in Good Beer Guide 2022

Across Derbyshire, there are 94 pubs listed in the 49th edition of The Good Beer Guide, considered the definitive catalogue of the very best pints in the most picturesque and friendly pubs.

The writers also tip 64 county breweries to look for, although Derbyshire accounts for five of eight East Midlands producers to have shut down this year, a sign of challenging conditions caused by the pandemic.

CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona said: “After the struggles of the past 18 months, it is great that our figures are showing the resilience of pubs and brewers – a national increase in brewery numbers after they dipped last year for the first time, as well as over 500 new pub entries.

“This is great to see, however, the industry is still vulnerable in the aftermath of the lockdowns.”

In Matlock there are recommendations for Smedley Street micropubs Farmacy and the Newsroom, Twenty Ten on Dale Road, and the Thorn Tree Inn on Jackson Road.

Out of town, the reviewers highlight local favourites such as The Old Poets’ Corner in Ashover, The Old Black Swan in Crich, Cromford’s Boat Inn, and the Barley Mow in Kirk Ireton.

There are also plenty of watering holes loved by discerning drinkers on trips into the Peak District: the Joiners Arms in Bakewell, the Anglers Rest at Bamford, the Eyre Arms at Hassop, the Cheshire Cheese Inn in Hope, the Packhorse Inn at Little Longstone, Litton’s Red Lion and the Three Stags’ Heads in Wardlow Mires.

Among the brewery recommendations are Aldwark Artisan Ales, Bentley Brook, Birchover, Chickenfoot in Bonsall, Eyam, Hollow Tree in Whatstandwell, Matlock Wolds Farm, Moot, Peak Ales, Intrepid and Thornbridge.

The Good Beer Guide 2022 is available from the CAMRA shop at https://bit.ly/3Hg9fWy, £12 for CAMRA members and £15.99 for everyone else . The iOS and Android app versions have also just been updated.

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