2026 Good Beer Guide published

The latest edition of the Good Beer Guide has been published this week and a number of local venues have been included. These entries would not have reached this status without the hard work and commitment they give to their customers.

The book, now in its 53rd edition, is completely independent and compiled by local members of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale using an ongoing quality Beer Scoring system, where members report on the beer quality throughout the year. 

Pubs in the north western area of the Test valley that are listed in the 2026 Good Beer Guide are:

Town Mills, Andover:

Andover Tap at the Lamb, Andover:

The Eagle, Abbotts Ann:

The Welcome Stranger, Kimpton:

The Kings Arms, Whitchurch:

The Prince Regent, Whitchurch:

The Three Cups, Stockbridge:

The Guide, which contains 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nation’s hostelries. 

Meanwhile the 'CAMRA WhatPub' website lists all pubs in the area (and UK) which can be accessed here:
https://whatpub.com/

To purchase the Good Beer Guide
The 2026 Good Beer Guide can be purchased online here:
https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/good-beer-guide-2026/ 

Andover's Exciting New Pub

Andover has a New Pub.

The Powder Monkey at the Guildhall opened officially yesterday – and what a great addition to the town it is.

The expanding brewery/pub operator, Powder Monkey,  has transformed the ground floor of the historic Grade II* Listed Guildhall into a modern fresh bar that will add some much needed vibrancy to the town centre.

With six of the Gosport brewer's beers on keg and a number of their cans and bottles there is a good choice, while a comprehensive menu is available. The six tasty keg beers include a very tasty Pilsner, along with modern pale ales and a stout.

A feature is that everything comes from small independent producers, of which the friendly manager Luke was proud.

Powder Monkey is based at Priddy's Hard, a historic naval site now also housing the exciting Explosion! Museum.
The forward-looking company was formed in 2019 and was set up in a historic naval gunpowder store with the first beers being brewed in 2021.
They have expanded rapidly, taking over Goddards Brewery on the Isle of Wight, whose beers are now available at the Guildhall in bottles. In July they also acquired two Sydney-based Australian brewers – the Wayward Brewing Company and Akasha Brewing Company. 

The addition of the new pub to Andover will be a welcome addition to the town.