I've been looking back through my reviews of pubs visited in 2021 to refresh my memory. I made 501 visits to 251 pubs, of which 122 were pubs that were new to me. The following pubs achieved scores of 9 or 10, or in some cases (the second group) probably will do when I get around to writing up my notes.

The Crow Inn, Sheffield
New Barrack Tavern, Sheffield
Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
The Victoria, Paddington
The Salisbury Hotel, Harringay

Vat & Fiddle, Nottingham
Chantry Inn, Handsworth
Bricklayers Arms, Putney
George Inn, Upper Denby

I should also mention some of my favourite regular haunts, such as the Blake Hotel (40 visits in 2021) and the Sheffield Tap in my adopted home town, and the Brunswick Inn, Derby, which would have got similar scores if I had updated their previous reviews.

The clear winner is the Victoria in Paddington - I've never before had a reasonably drinkable beer almost snatched from my hand and replaced with something better. A pub that, as well as being a beautiful building, really lives up to the promise on its A-board: serving the freshest real ale.