The 2024 edition of the Campaign for Real Ale’s Good Beer Guide will be themed around rock band Iron Maiden, with a foreword by lead singer Bruce Dickinson.
That foreword shines a spotlight on the cultural tradition of pubs within the United Kingdom, the importance of protecting the heritage, charm, and welcoming nature of pubs and clubs, and not taking them for granted.
Pubs and clubs are a rite of passage for many bands and musicians starting out in the UK, and Iron Maiden themselves began their career almost 50 years ago playing in London pubs.
The conviviality of these venues creates the perfect atmosphere for burgeoning music scenes, and helps to drive footfall into pubs, especially after a challenging period for them brought on by the pandemic.
The cover of The Good Beer Guide 2024 features Eddie, Iron Maiden’s mascot and icon of the band’s range of Trooper beers, brewed by Stockport brewery Robinsons. Trooper celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and has become one of the UK’s most established ales in that period. There will also be the option of purchasing a guide with a more traditional cover.
“We’re honoured to have Bruce Dickinson pen the foreword for The Good Beer Guide 2024,” said CAMRA chair Nik Antona. “As we enter our second half-century of producing the Guide, there is no one better to introduce this year’s edition, and highlight what makes these institutions so worth visiting.
“The last few years have been an incredibly difficult time for the industry, and we need more support than ever before to keep our nation’s pubs open and thriving. I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s guide to visit the very best pubs across the UK and support them for generations to come.”
The Good Beer Guide 2024 is set to be published on 28th September, with options to order the standard editions, an alternative cover, and hardback editions available on the CAMRA shop. It can be ordered here.
