Cavens Arms, Dumfries

Dumfries CAMRA Pub of the Year since (almost) forever, celebrated on the window. Not what I was anticipating inside, immediately upon entering is a reception booth for diners to be seated and indeed most of the place is food-focussed. Pushed on to the bar at the rear where there's a long-hooked banquette for the topers and a generally plush environ. Seven cask on from a mix of regionals and larger micros; Swannay, Thornbridge Jaipur, Timothy Taylor Landlord, a collab between the previous two, Fyne Jarl, GK OSH (for it is a Belhaven house), Kelham and one from Born who were new to me. Not much being poured mid-afternoon but the quality of mine were good, the Artesian collab (NBSS 3) and Born Amber (3.5). I can see why it’s a hit with the middle class CAMRAs but I certainly think there’s a couple of other places in town that, on the beer quality (if not choice) and atmosphere, give this one a run for its money and have more seating for drinkers. Still, it’s a default stop for sure.

A bigger than it looks CAMRA favourite, multi room and multi hand pump pub, COVID rules meant I couldn’t take proper stock of the number of pumps etc but there were 7 cask beers on the menu but not hugely different to JAQPTIO’s visit. People may sneer about CAMRA and hand pull count but this one deserves its GBG place judging by the quality of my Jarl and that’s a beer I know and love very well. I can’t describe the place in detail as Covid forced me into a shed thing with big sports screens in the yard, sorry beer garden, as others have said it’s diner oriented so a casual drinker takes what he can get in the time of plague. I certainly can’t fault the service or beer quality and would visit again if I was unlucky enough to be in Dumfries.