Brewdog and CAMRA

[oz11]

Just for a bit of balance, CAMRA also mount campaigns to save pubs from closure or sale and redevelopment, introduce a sliding scale of duty to benefit smaller brewers(real ale, keg or other), reform the pub tie and introduce guest beers into tied houses. Unfortunately an organisation as big as CAMRA can not change direction on cask/craft/keg beers without a rewriting of their primary agenda which would have to be voted upon and carried at their AGM. The members who attend the AGM maybe the most "old school" of the members so change is unlikely. A definiton of "real ale" had to be set in the early days when keg was all pretty bad, these days there is "good" keg and "bad" keg, just the same as there is "good" real ale and "bad" real ale. CAMRA, as far as I can tell, do not actively campaign now against keg beers but also they do not exist to promote them. Let those brewers who brew good, tasty keg beers join together and form their own campaign and organise their own craft beer festivals, I think we'd all agree they'd be worth going to. They could work and exist alongside CAMRA to campaign for common goals... the new duty on strong beers for example, which affects keg and cask brewers alike.
Lastly, the only way for CAMRA to change is for those calling for it to change get along to the AGM and persuade the membership that a new direction is needed.
My position? I'm a CAMRA member, I broadly support their views and I save my membership fees on entry to beer festivals!

I'll get me coat...

 

[Swazi]

I wish they hadn't used the name "real ale". as far as I know, any top fermented beer is an ale. They have used the name to imply that anything that doesn't fit their definition as being somehow fake. There is an elitist mentality around CAMRA and some of their members that I don't like at all. When I was a member I went along to my local AGM and was amazed at the lack of beer knowledge and over the top snobbery of the members there. They really believed they were superior beer drinkers.
I'll still be at the GBBF this year, if you know what you want it is a great festival. For the casual visitor, they would find it difficult to wade through all the similar beers and actually find something interesting and memorable.

 

[dennisking]

Just for a bit of balance, CAMRA also mount campaigns to save pubs from closure or sale and redevelopment, introduce a sliding scale of duty to benefit smaller brewers(real ale, keg or other), reform the pub tie and introduce guest beers into tied houses. Unfortunately an organisation as big as CAMRA can not change direction on cask/craft/keg beers without a rewriting of their primary agenda which would have to be voted upon and carried at their AGM. The members who attend the AGM maybe the most "old school" of the members so change is unlikely. A definiton of "real ale" had to be set in the early days when keg was all pretty bad, these days there is "good" keg and "bad" keg, just the same as there is "good" real ale and "bad" real ale. CAMRA, as far as I can tell, do not actively campaign now against keg beers but also they do not exist to promote them. Let those brewers who brew good, tasty keg beers join together and form their own campaign and organise their own craft beer festivals, I think we'd all agree they'd be worth going to. They could work and exist alongside CAMRA to campaign for common goals... the new duty on strong beers for example, which affects keg and cask brewers alike.
Lastly, the only way for CAMRA to change is for those calling for it to change get along to the AGM and persuade the membership that a new direction is needed.
My position? I'm a CAMRA member, I broadly support their views and I save my membership fees on entry to beer festivals!

I'll get me coat...

Certainly some common sense there, a lot of people here under 50 won't appreciate how bad the state of the beers we were served in the early 70's, around these parts anyway. Not just the infamous Red barrel, Courage Tavern, Tartan bitter, Bass Toby and Watneys starlight were the norm around here. CAMRA total altered the beer scene in these parts. Within a few years every Ind coope pub in the area was selling the excellent Burton bitter, bass houses started to re-introduced Bass and even Watneys had a piss poor attempt at a cask ale. so we should never under estimate the good work they achieved. We used to think the big brewers then as evil but they were nothing compaired to the mega companys around now so there should be a place for CAMRA to fight the fight but maybe they need a good kick up the arse. As Steve and I found out they can put on a festival and serve up very bland beer.

 

[abeyptfc]

none of my beer is real ale? CAMRA take a running jump

I was fully expecting to have to duck for my comment!

I wouldnt nessecarily say that CAMRA has outlived its reason for being, well not completely.
I just think that its not as relevant now as when it was set up. The new wave of craft beer is proving that quality of the beer is not dependant on the method of serving.

I think what we need is a decent non-CAMRA good beer festival; with the best beer available and without the politics.

We should start our own HomeBrewForum Beer Festival! We will book the brewers we want to be there, it will be like Wayne's World 2 doing WayneStock, if we book them, they will come! :lol: :lol:

 

[evanvine]

grumpy old men!

Do I perceive a photographer? :rofl:

 

[Swift Pint]

We should start our own HomeBrewForum Beer Festival! We will book the brewers we want to be there, it will be like Wayne's World 2 doing WayneStock, if we book them, they will come! :lol: :lol:

BrewStock!!

Thats an amazing idea!! How do we make it happen :wha:


:drink:

 

[Stone Cold]

We should start our own HomeBrewForum Beer Festival! We will book the brewers we want to be there, it will be like Wayne's World 2 doing WayneStock, if we book them, they will come! :lol: :lol:

BrewStock!!

Thats an amazing idea!! How do we make it happen :wha:


:drink:

sounds like a plan ''game on'' lol party time excellent

Garth, marriage is punishment for shoplifting in some countries.

 

[dennisking]

We should start our own HomeBrewForum Beer Festival! We will book the brewers we want to be there, it will be like Wayne's World 2 doing WayneStock, if we book them, they will come! :lol: :lol:

BrewStock!!

Thats an amazing idea!! How do we make it happen :wha:


:drink:

That is more or less what the spring thing was and autumn bottle swap will be.