50 years of CAMRA

[NPi]

I believe its 50 years of Campaign for Real Ale today, cruel twist of fate being all pubs are closed so getting a pint of commercial real ale is a bit of a task. What are your thoughts and memories of CAMRA through the years?

 

[Clint]

I suppose my first experience was when I started going to pubs and trying some real dreadful stuff..well it was to me at the time...but the old,beardy blokes in cardigans seemed to like it.

 

[Galena]

I have never been a member, I have never bought or read a Good Beer Guide but having started drinking before CAMRA existed I am grateful. Without them we could all perhaps be drinking Coors Lite now.

 

[StJayJay]

My first experience of them was the CAMRA Wigan Beer Festival. We went in early doors, then through to the then JJB Stadium for Wigan Athletic vs Ipswich, then back to the beer festival after the final whistle. The first session at the festival was very enjoyable, the match and the return to the festival is hazy at best.
I’ve been to plenty of their festivals since across the UK but never got round to signing up as a member.

 

[CD]

Camra taught me a lot about beer when they started, as back then most people had no idea about the different methods of dispense, or what strength beers were - which the Brewers didn’t divulge in those days can you believe. I did a lot of traveling around the country at that time, and discovered some fantastic pubs and beers through the help of the GBG.

Although a Member ever since, I couldn’t forgive them for not realising the benefit that the use of a cask breather could be in slow turnover outlets, and virtually shooting themselves in the foot by banning pubs who used them from the Good Beer Guide. There assertion that a cask of ale must be finished within three days of starting is absolute bollocks, as I have proved by drinking several all by myself, each one over a period of about a month. Furthermore their ‘Tasting Notes ‘, which now seem to rival the worst of the wine boors, make me cringe.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I’ve been to a few good CAMRA beer festivals but it never seems to be very long before they fall out with people!

 

[StJayJay]

I was reading in the paper last week that CAMRA’s online forum is particularly tense at the moment. Seems to be a mix on arguments on whether they are too “woke” but mostly technical stuff. CAMRA’s own Finance Director was briefly suspended from the forum by moderators over a particularly heated argument on the use of autovacs!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm a member have been for 6-7 years bought a couple of the year books. What they've achieved is inspirational so for £5 a year well worth being a member.

 

[BrewMeHappy]

I was a member for a couple of years a while ago now. I liked their ethos and support for the trade and smaller breweries and pubs. I never managed to get to any beer festivals in that time for one reason or other though, although the vouchers for use in Spoons were well received!

 

[Clint]

I was reading in the paper last week that CAMRA’s online forum is particularly tense at the moment. Seems to be a mix on arguments on whether they are too “woke” but mostly technical stuff. CAMRA’s own Finance Director was briefly suspended from the forum by moderators over a particularly heated argument on the use of autovacs!

How can "woke," come into whether someone is serving crap ale?

 

[Brew_DD2]

Did a great job, but largely an irrelevance for me these days.

 

[MickDundee]

I was a member for a couple of years a while ago now. I liked their ethos and support for the trade and smaller breweries and pubs. I never managed to get to any beer festivals in that time for one reason or other though, although the vouchers for use in Spoons were well received!

That’s a bit of a contradiction isn’t it?

I like cask ale, but I’m not fanatical about it. For people my age (mid-30s) CAMRA come across as a bit old fashioned and “stuffy”.

 

[MickDundee]

I was reading in the paper last week that CAMRA’s online forum is particularly tense at the moment. Seems to be a mix on arguments on whether they are too “woke” but mostly technical stuff. CAMRA’s own Finance Director was briefly suspended from the forum by moderators over a particularly heated argument on the use of autovacs!

Are CAMRA “too woke”?!?!? I think that kind of sums up the reputation I was talking about that means they don’t appeal to younger beer drinkers. Sounds like the kind of argument that deserves to be met with an “OK Boomer” meme!

 

[StJayJay]

How can "woke," come into whether someone is serving crap ale?

Something about whether non-pc pub names should be changed I think it said in the article. They’re obviously missing the pubs being closed more than most.

 

[Clint]

Ah...we used to have a Green Dragon in Wrexham...not as nice as a Red one...we also used to have The Talbot..

 

[StJayJay]

Are CAMRA “too woke”?!?!? I think that kind of sums up the reputation I was talking about that means they don’t appeal to younger beer drinkers. Sounds like the kind of argument that deserves to be met with an “OK Boomer” meme!

Indeed. I think some there may accuse someone of being woke if they advocate the use of a cask breather.

 

[Worf]

I've mentioned i got into home being when the missus gifted a bitters-kit to me. That gift included a CAMRA book. Used it several times early on, but measurement conversions were a bear, so....

Being on the wrong side off the pond, never got to any festivals.

 

[BrewMeHappy]

That’s a bit of a contradiction isn’t it?

I like cask ale, but I’m not fanatical about it. For people my age (mid-30s) CAMRA come across as a bit old fashioned and “stuffy”.

I don't understand your point?

 

[MickDundee]

I don't understand your point?

Supporting smaller breweries and pubs, whilst giving all of their members vouchers for a big chain that causes problems for both small breweries and independent pubs.

 

[BrewMeHappy]

I'm no pub or brewery business man, but I imagine that the breweries are glad to get their beer in a big chain. Sure margins will probably to tighter, but exposure would be widespread and probably lead onto good things.

I'd imagine wetherspoons provide the vouchers and not camra anyhow.