Beer lovers keen to know they are paying a fair price can now sup in Gloucestershire secure in the knowledge they have good value.

According to The Good Pub Guide our nation's capital has seen the average cost of a pint rise by 24 pence on last year to £4.44. Enough to drive you to drink, you might say.

Elsewhere the average price of the nation's favourite way to consumer beer has increased by a relatively short measure of nine pence - to £3.69.

What this apparently means is that London is the only area of the country where the average price of a pint is in excess of £4.

On Pricepint.com, in reference to a Cheltenham bar selling a popular brand of lager for £5, one customer left this comment: "For this price I'd expect to have strippers with my red stripe!"

Which suggests we have some way to go here before London prices are an acceptable fact of life.

However, back to Gloucestershire generally - according to the guide the county's average pint is by comparison a refreshing £3.75, but that is also a price that ranks it 11th most expensive in the country.

Our own investigation - such as a it was - shows how important it is to do your own research and to perhaps just use the experts as a guide rather than a gospel.

Tank, the pub owned by Gloucester Brewery between the city's Docks and Quays will do you a pint of its own beer - 3.7 per cent - for £3.20.

Ever popular Stroud Brewery sells its beer across its range at its own bar for £3.60 a pint. That might range from 3 per cent, but generally 3.8 per cent to 5.6 per cent.

Across in Cheltenham, Battledown Brewery on Dowdeswell Park off London Road, beside Dunkertons Cider, would serve you a pint for £3 - of beer ranging from 3.8 per cent to 4.4 per cent. If you like your beer to work quickly, it will also serve you a 7.2 per cent pint for £3.50.

Or you could pay £15 for one of its tours and get a drink or two or three event for free.

Up at Hillside Brewery in Longhope you can get a pint of any of its beer for £3.50 - which could include its Legless Cow best bitter, Pinnacle Pale, its pale ale, or ruby ale Summit.

Craft beers are £3 on launch nights. Okay, the bar is only open on the last Friday of every month, but you can hire the venue for special events - which will give you time to taste everything and be sure.

In other words, if you are looking for good beer at a good price - Gloucestershire is not a bad place to do your research.

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