IF you ever wondered which famous author of detective stories created the Guinness toucan character or are bewildered by hogsheads, kilderkins and firkins, then Bar Talk has just the book for you.

The Book Of Beer Knowledge is CAMRA's latest publication and it will certainly hit the spot for pub quiz addicts, mad beer buffs or those who simply can't help themselves when it comes to inane trivia.

Author Jeff Evans has brought together a remarkable variety of information on all things beer, from historic pub names to pint price inflation and unmissable German brews.

The fact-checker's dream comes with more than 200 entries from the endlessly fascinating worlds of beer, brewing and pubs.

Georgie Howarth, of CAMRA, hits the nail on the head when he says: "It provides just the answer, it is the sort of book to settle arguments, but may well start many more."

Bar Talk has two copies of this natty little tome to give away.

To be in with a chance of getting one, and perhaps solving at least one Christmas present dilemma, simply answer the following question:

Which nation drinks the most beer per head of population?

Is it: a) USA, b) Australia, or c) Czech Republic?

Answers on a postcard, with your favourite North Yorkshire pub, to: Guzzling Greenwood, York Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York Y01 9YN. Closing date Thursday, November 4.

PS It was Dorothy L Sayers who created the much-loved Guinness character in 1935. It remained a prominent character in the brewery's ads until 1982. As any good landlord will tell you, a hogshead is a 54-gallon cask, a kilderkin holds 18 gallons, while a firkin carries half that amount.

JULIA Freed is working under the axe at The Magpie pub in The Groves - but she's determined to make the best of it.

But even she would admit the estate boozer has a few problems.

Firstly, to put it kindly, the place has seen better days.

Secondly, few people are drinking there and, finally, developers want to knock it down and build a great big block of flats in its place.

Putting aside the pros and cons of our evolving city landscape, which are discussed at length elsewhere in today's Evening Press, there's no way Bar Talk can condone the loss of another drinking hole.

So we were delighted to hear that Julia is hoping make a go of the place for as long as long as she can with her son licensee, Simon Brind, and her daughter chef, Tracy.

She's been spurred on to do her best because the business is a short drunken stagger away from where she was born in St Johns Street.

"My mum still lives in Townend Street," she says.

"We hope that we've got at least six months to see if we can make a go of the place. It was due to close but planning permission is still going through.

"I'm a Groves girl born and bred and the regulars have been absolutely great. We would like to try and get families back in the pub, especially as we are running it as a family now."

The family are bringing back simple pub grub and hope to get a quiz up and running as soon as possible, as well as karaoke. We wish them good luck.

Updated: 15:59 Friday, October 29, 2004