Sir Ian Rankin and CAMRA unveiled the 2027 Good Beer Guide at Edinburgh’s historic Oxford Bar, celebrating Scottish pubs and demanding a fairer beer market.
The latest edition of the Good Beer Guide was presented on a Thursday at the iconic Oxford Bar on Young Street, Edinburgh. Crime novelist Sir Ian Rankin whose fictional inspector Rebus is a regular at the venue, joined a crowd of CAMRA volunteers and local publicans to mark a historic first: a Scottish pub appearing on the guide’s front cover.
Launch ceremony and the Oxford Bar’s milestone
During the unveiling, guide editor Emma Haines arrived from across the country to witness the moment. Local branch chair Chris Miller presented a commemorative plaque to landlady Kirsty Grant acknowledging the Oxford Bar’s 30th appearance in the guide since its inaugural inclusion in 1988.
Miller highlighted the bar’s role as a community hub, noting that its wooden bars and welcoming atmosphere embody the qualities Sir Ian mentions in his foreword.
In the accompanying foreword, Sir Ian muses, “What makes the perfect pub? Ask fifty people and you might get fifty different answers…” He goes on to stress that good beer and friendly hospitality are universal expectations, while also celebrating a venue that reflects its neighbourhood’s character.
Guide data: scale, scope and Scottish highlights
The 2027 edition lists more than 4,500 pubs across the United Kingdom, representing 1,700 brewers and offering around 5,000 distinct cask ales. Within Scotland alone, the guide features over 300 pubs and highlights 130 breweries underscoring the nation’s vibrant brewing culture.
Statistical insights reveal a mixed picture for the sector: 137 breweries have closed, while only 57 new breweries have opened since the previous edition. Nevertheless, the guide welcomes 812 new entries reflecting a steady flow of fresh venues and independent brewers entering the market.
CAMRA’s political push and the fight against ‘Big Beer’
Beyond celebrating pubs, the event served as a platform for CAMRA to reiterate its campaign for a more equitable beer market. Chairman Ash Corbett-Collins called for a formal competition investigation into the dominance of global brewers, urging the Competition and Markets Authority to scrutinise on-trade pricing and distribution practices.
Scottish campaigner Stewart Campbell director of CAMRA Scotland, added that the organisation is pressing the Scottish and UK governments for targeted financial relief: a permanent reduction in VAT for hospitality, continued lower business rates, and a rewrite of the rateable-value calculation method. He also highlighted a legal loophole that allows freestanding pubs to be demolished without planning consent, urging legislators to close the gap.
In support of independent brewers, CAMRA urged tied publicans to adopt the Scottish Pubs Code which encourages the stocking of guest beers from independent breweries. The 2027 guide, endorsed by Cask Marque and sponsored by Midland Snacks Traditional Pork Scratchings reinforces the message that great cask beer deserves a fitting snack.
The event closed with a reminder that the guide’s strength lies in its independent, volunteer-led rating system. Volunteers travel the country, tasting, tasting, and rating cask beers to ensure that each listed venue meets a high standard of quality and community spirit. As Sir Ian Rankin concluded, “We want the beer to be good and the welcome to be friendly. We want to feel like we fit in.”
