GBG Selection Process

1. There is an advertised meeting open to all Branch members at which they can vote for up to the Branch allocation from a list prepared by the Branch GBG Co-ordinator, based on beer scores for the previous year and adjusted on whether they are in a (remote) location with few visits, and whether scores appear valid or not (the “reality checks”).
2. If a pub’s beer scores fluctuate noticeably over the analysis period, this will be investigated to identify any underlying issues which could affect its eligibility.
3. Pubs selling ‘Fresh Ale’* are not eligible even if their cask ales receive high scores. Pubs with a number of reports for not having cask ales may also be eliminated at this stage. A pub would normally have had the same landlord or cellar personnel for at least six months when the votes are cast, meaning they have been running the pub for at least a year when the Guide gets published.

4. Before the advertised meeting, the GBG Co-ordinator will have prepared the following:

   • 4.1 Members are notified of the upcoming meeting via official Branch email to all members (who are registered to receive communication via email) and the Branch Website event list. There is no physical mailout for practical, cost and GDPR reasons.
   • 4.2 The process starts with extracting details from the National Beer Scoring System of all scores submitted.
   • 4.3 That list is then split between scores submitted by Branch members and those submitted by members from outside the Branch area.
   • 4.4 Where a member has submitted multiple scores on a single visit for an establishment, an average of those scores is used for that member.
   • 4.5 A table is then produced showing total average scores in descending order starting with the highest but showing clearly the number of scores on which the average is based and separate averages for Branch members and other members.
   • 4.6 That table is then presented to members attending the advertised meeting and the GBG co-ordinator explai­ns the process to be followed, the maximum number of establishments to be voted for, encouraging members to look closely at the scores submitted in reaching their decision and in particular those submitted for establishments they have not visited personally. (The Branch takes very seriously the scores submitted by visitors to the Branch which is why they are identified separately).
5. Forms are completed at the meeting, then these are taken away by the GBG Co-ordinator who then collates the votes to come up with a list of candidates and reserves. The votes are from all and any Branch members who are at the selection meeting.
6. The list of candidates and reserves is shared with the Branch Chair and other key committee members (e.g. Branch Pub Database Co-ordinator who will need to ensure these pubs are closely monitored for any changes). If agreed, these will then be marked up on Pubzilla (CAMRA’s main pub database). At that point, all eligible committee members have access to this information, in theory at least. However, the information is not made available to those who had been at the meeting. The final GBG list is only revealed when the GBG is published.
7. This final list may differ from the original agreed list, for example if there is a change of landlord or key cellar personnel, beer scores suddenly get worse - these are regularly monitored - or (obviously) if the pub closes.

* ‘Fresh Ale’ is non-live beer served by misleading dispense, e.g. via a handpump intended for live/cask ale. See Furness CAMRA website or CAMRA’s main website for more information.