Gate Hangs Well in Stoke Prior, near Bromsgrove in the West Midlands has become the UK's first freehouse pub to win a Beautiful Beer award.

The Beautiful Beer campaign, which is driven by the British Beer and Pub Association, was launched in March to revitalise the image of beer.

Licensee Neil McMahon and his wife Helen took over the Gate Hangs Well in autumn 2004 and won the CAMRA Pub of the Season award a year later.

They are pictured with their Beautiful Beer Gold Award plaque, which was presented to them by Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride.

McMahon offers a range of bottled and draught beers (including six guest ales a week) and has a Cask Marque accreditation. He plans to launch a beer menu and a service recommending the best beers to accompany food dishes.

“We were already recognised for our cask ale. Gaining the Beautiful Beer Award takes this wider to cover all the beer we serve – cask ale, draught and bottled beer,” said McMahon.

The awards are judged by trained inspectors who carry out an audit of the pub ranging from the storage to the pouring of the beers.

The Gold award recognises pubs that offer great quality beer while the higher Platinum award rewards pubs that actively promote beers by offering a variety of beers and beer glasses, beer lists, beer and food matching and beer tastings.

By Rebecca Musgrave

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week - click here to subscribe and save 25%.