What is LocAle?

CAMRA LocAle is an initiative that promotes pubs stocking locally brewed real ale. The scheme builds on a growing consumer demand for quality local produce and an increased awareness of 'green' issues. Everyone benefits from local pubs stocking locally-brewed real ale:

• Public houses as stocking local real ales can increase pub visits
• Consumers who enjoy greater beer choice and diversity
• Local brewers who gain from increased sales
• The local economy because more money is spent and retained locally
• The environment due to fewer 'beer miles' resulting in less road congestion and pollution
• Tourism due to an increased sense of local identity and pride - let's celebrate what makes our locality different.

The idea of the scheme is very simple: pubs are eligible to sign up if they permanently serve at least one beer from at least one local brewery. For our scheme, we define a local brewery as one that is within 25 miles of central Reading (specifically we measure from Reading Town Hall square). The actual beer and brewery can change; it does not have to be the same beer all the time, which enables a pub to rotate a local beer, should they so wish.

1. Accreditation is issued for one calendar year. It does not automatically roll-over to subsequent years but may be renewed if appropriate.
2. Accreditation is at the sole discretion of the branch.
3. The method of dispense is not material to accreditation. Hence beer served from a cask, KeyKeg, bottle or by any other method is acceptable as long as it conforms to CAMRA’s definition of real ale.
4. Beer quality is not material to accreditation. Nevertheless, as accreditation is discretionary, the branch may elect to not accredit a venue with poor beer quality if to do so would harm CAMRA’s image.
5. A venue is not disqualified from accreditation if real ale is temporarily unavailable for any of the following reasons:
   • A missed or wrong delivery
   • Unexpectedly high levels of trade leading to beers running out with no replacements available
   • A cask being changed
   • Breakdown of equipment
   • Any other exceptional circumstances that may arise on an unplanned and irregular basis.

CAMRA has been a major supporter of the Sustainable Communities Act in its successful passage and this scheme will help to realise its aspirations. It should attract new customers to pubs and in general the scheme is also helping to reduce the environmental impact of transport and promote the local economy.

LocAle Area

LocAle Breweries

Our decision to base LocAle accreditation on distance from a specific central point means that we are able to supply a list of breweries whose beers qualify as LocAle for Reading & Mid Berks pubs:

• Aldworth Brewery (est. 2022) - Aldworth, Berkshire
• Amwell Springs (est. 2017) - Cholsey, Oxfordshire
• Andwells (est. 2008) - Andwell, Hampshire
• Ascot Brewing Company (including Disruption) (est. 2007) - Camberley, Surrey
• Barn Owl (est. 2016) - Gozzard's Ford, Oxfordshire
• BMAN Brewery Ltd (est. 2017) - Chalgrove, Oxfordshire
• Bond Brews (est. 2016) - Wokingham, Berkshire
• Brazenor's Brews (est. 2023) - High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
• Bucklebury Brewers Ltd (est. 2020) - Upper Bucklebury, Berkshire
• Chiltern (est. 1980) - Terrick, Buckinghamshire
• Craftsman Brewery (est. 2021) - Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Creative Juices Brewing Company (est. 2019) - Maple Cross, Hertfordshire
• Delphic (est. 2019) - Newbury, Berkshire
• Dolphin (est. 2020) - Woodley, Berkshire
• Double-Barrelled (est. 2018) - Reading, Berkshire
• Dummer Down Brewery (est. 2022) - Dummer, Hampshire
• Earth Ale Ltd (est. 2019) - Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire
• Elusive (est. 2016) - Finchampstead, Berkshire
• Engine River Brew Co Ltd (est. 2022) - Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
• Feisty Beer Co Ltd (est. 2022) - Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire
• FutureState (est. 2021) - Earley, Berkshire
• Gilbert White's Brewery (est. 2021) - Selborne, Hampshire
• Godalming Beerworks (est. 2022) - Godalming, Surrey
• Hedgedog Brewing Ltd (est. 2014) - Virginia Water, Surrey
• Hermitage (est. 2013) - Hermitage, Berkshire
• Hogs Back (est. 1992) - Tongham, Surrey
• Indie Rabble Brewing Company (est. 2023) - Windsor, Berkshire
• Indigenous (est. 2014) - Chaddleworth, Berkshire
• INNformal Pub co & Brewery (est. 2015) - Hungerford, Berkshire
• Little London (est. 2016) - Little London, Hampshire
• Loddon (est. 2003) - Dunsden Green, Oxfordshire
• Longdog (est. 2011) - Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Loose Cannon (est. 2010) - Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• LoveBeer (est. 2014) - Milton, Oxfordshire
• Lovibonds (est. 2005) - Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire (NOTE: No cask ale)
• Maverick Brewing Co. Ltd (est. 2023) - Kingsley, Hampshire
• moogBREW (est. 2013) - Taplow, Berkshire
• Mysterious Brewing Co Ltd (est. 2023) - Little London, Hampshire (is a cuckoo brewery at Little London)
• New Wharf (est. 2017) - Holyport, Berkshire
• Old Luxters (est. 1990) - Hambleden, Buckinghamshire
• Outhouse (est. 2021) - Wokingham, Berkshire
• Oxford Brewery (formerly Shotover) (est. 2009) - Horspath, Oxfordshire
• Parlour Brew (est. 2021) - Garford, Oxfordshire
• Phantom (est. 2019) - Reading, Berkshire
• Rebellion (est. 1993) - Marlow, Buckinghamshire
• Renegade (est. 1995) - Yattendon, Berkshire
• Sherfield Village (est. 2011) - Sherfield on Loddon, Hampshire
• Siren (est. 2013) - Finchampstead, Berkshire
• SOX - South Oxfordshire Brewery (est. 2020) - Ipsden, Oxfordshire
• Stardust (est. 2016) - White Waltham, Berkshire
• Tap Social Movement (est. 2016) - Oxford, Oxfordshire
• Ten Tun Brewhouse Ltd (est. 2023) - Alton, Hampshire
• Terra Tempo Brewing Ltd (est. 2023) - Tongham, Surrey
• Thame (est. 2009) - Thame, Oxfordshire
• Thames Side (est. 2015) - Staines, Surrey
• Thurstons (est. 2014) - Horsell, Surrey
• Tilford (est. 2017) - Farnham, Surrey
• Triple fff (est. 1997) - Four Marks, Hampshire
• Two Flints Brewing (est. 2022) - Windsor, Berkshire
• Wickham Ales, Five Bells (est. 2020) - Wickham, Berkshire
• Windsor and Eton [including Uprising] (est. 2010) - Windsor, Berkshire
• XT [including Animal] (est. 2011) - Thame, Oxfordshire
• Zero Degrees (est. 2007) - Reading, Berkshire (NOTE: No cask ale)

LocAle accredited pubs in Reading & Mid Berks

The pubs marked as LocAle in our pub database appear below:

Of course, just because a pub does not appear on this list does not mean you'll never find a local beer there. Many pubs have guest ales which rotate on and off, some of which are local. The LocAle scheme is intended to promote those pubs where you can always find a locally brewed beer.