**** Official middle-aged man's Craft Beer thread ****

[Herr Tubthumper]

That's a shame, Tubbs.

I used to be involved at a venue that hosted the beer festival on 3 occasions, and I wound up the guys because of my love of Punk.

The top 3 guys I had to deal with all said that they would like to change things because things really have changed.

These guys wanted to bring good pilsners and keg beers in, but the bearded types at the top table said no.

They're stuck in the past, which really doesn't do anybody any favours whatsover.

Looking at the average age of their members, I’m afraid it’s probably RIP CAMRA after voting to stay in the middle of the last century. It’s a shame become I think the craft beer world needed CAMRA.

Agree with you both, it is a big shame. I broadly like what CAMRA stand for, ie promoting good beer and standing up for drinker’s rights and pub culture and pubs themselves etc. But narrowing their remit to just real ale is daft in this age. Good beer is good beer whether it’s ffom a cask or a keg and surely we all stand together on this. But we can’t all stand together due to this decision. I also agree, long term, this decision could kill off CAMRA.

It’s a lovely day, this post is making me thirsty for a nice beer......







As an aside craft was the gateway to cask for me. I pretty much drink 70% real ale when I’m in the UK now. Ten years ago it was zero.

 

[vegster]

Agree with you both, it is a big shame. I broadly like what CAMRA stand for, ie promoting good beer and standing up for drinker’s rights and pub culture and pubs themselves etc. But narrowing their remit to just real ale is daft in this age. Good beer is good beer whether it’s ffom a cask or a keg and surely we all stand together on this. But we can’t all stand together due to this decision. I also agree, long term, this decision could kill off CAMRA.

It’s a lovely day, this post is making me thirsty for a nice beer......







As an aside craft was the gateway to cask for me. I pretty much drink 70% real ale when I’m in the UK now. Ten years ago it was zero.

When CAMRA was formed there was virtually no understanding of what was being brewed abroad and put in to kegs. Here in the UK keg beer was boring and bland and awful and was the coming thing for convenience for the big brewers. with the explosion of travel and trade since the 70's I think so many more people appreciate good innovative beer. At that time CAMRA were badly needed in order to fight the good fight but things have changed for the better, frankly, its like people who still think we should get 4 star leaded petrol, the worlds changed we need to move on. The CAMRA vote has nailed them to the past and this will probably lead to a division in their ranks.

I'm getting in to some of these keg beers but I do think some of the alleged " Artisanal Small Batch Craft Beers " can be pretentious and very overpriced, especially in Brighton. Last night in Brooksteed had a couple of halves of Thornbridge Pineapple Halcyon IPA's , at 7.4%, very nice and a reasonable price of £2.90 a half.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

When CAMRA was formed there was virtually no understanding of what was being brewed abroad and put in to kegs. Here in the UK keg beer was boring and bland and awful and was the coming thing for convenience for the big brewers. with the explosion of travel and trade since the 70's I think so many more people appreciate good innovative beer. At that time CAMRA were badly needed in order to fight the good fight but things have changed for the better, frankly, its like people who still think we should get 4 star leaded petrol, the worlds changed we need to move on. The CAMRA vote has nailed them to the past and this will probably lead to a division in their ranks.

I'm getting in to some of these keg beers but I do think some of the alleged " Artisanal Small Batch Craft Beers " can be pretentious and very overpriced, especially in Brighton. Last night in Brooksteed had a couple of halves of Thornbridge Pineapple Halcyon IPA's , at 7.4%, very nice and a reasonable price of £2.90 a half.

Again. Totally agree with all of this.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Had a half of champagne saison ( £3.50 ) down The Brookstead on Tuesday.

It's probably not a saison, per se, but trying very hard. It's highly carbonated, going with the champagne theme.

Anyhow, thoroughly bloody enjoyable.

I went to a beer festival in Antwerp a few years back and had a lovely champagne saison. Had the typical saison taste but was dry as a bone. Was brewed with champagne yeast I think; language proved a barrier. Was a nice festival.

I need to visit The Brookstead again.

 

[Questions]

When CAMRA was formed there was virtually no understanding of what was being brewed abroad and put in to kegs. Here in the UK keg beer was boring and bland and awful and was the coming thing for convenience for the big brewers. with the explosion of travel and trade since the 70's I think so many more people appreciate good innovative beer. At that time CAMRA were badly needed in order to fight the good fight but things have changed for the better, frankly, its like people who still think we should get 4 star leaded petrol, the worlds changed we need to move on. The CAMRA vote has nailed them to the past and this will probably lead to a division in their ranks.

I'm getting in to some of these keg beers but I do think some of the alleged " Artisanal Small Batch Craft Beers " can be pretentious and very overpriced, especially in Brighton. Last night in Brooksteed had a couple of halves of Thornbridge Pineapple Halcyon IPA's , at 7.4%, very nice and a reasonable price of £2.90 a half.

Did you know that those bloody upstarts at Brewdog actually developed Jaipur - that you mentioned in an earlier post - whilst working at Thornbridge brewery. Well at least Martin Dickie of the two did.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Did you know that those bloody upstarts at Brewdog actually developed Jaipur - that you mentioned in an earlier post - whilst working at Thornbridge brewery. Well at least Martin Dickie of the two did.

Good point. I do like Thornbridge though; I had a DIPA version of Jaipur from one of their pubs last season; one of my favourite DIPAs.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I also meant to say that the brewers of craft beer certainly don't need CAMRA, it's the other way around.

CAMRA is a gonner, unless you love bland brown beer.........

I take your point.

I suppose what I meant is that we could do with a ‘quality control organisation/consumer organisation’ or perhaps regulation like they have in Germany. What I despise is corporate beer made for profit and volume, not taste. This was a great opportunity for CAMRA to join the 21st century and use their influence to campaign against the big breweries.

Anyone heading to tap take-over next week?

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Whilst in Cheltenham on Wednesday for the racing, I popped into a place called Jessops which is a Wild Beer tap room but also has a great range of other beers from around the country including our own Burning Sky.

Had a really great mango sour from a small Welsh brewery called West By Three. Nice subtle flavour, not too sour but very refreshing on a hot day.

 

[Questions]

I take your point.

I suppose what I meant is that we could do with a ‘quality control organisation/consumer organisation’ or perhaps regulation like they have in Germany. What I despise is corporate beer made for profit and volume, not taste. This was a great opportunity for CAMRA to join the 21st century and use their influence to campaign against the big breweries.

Anyone heading to tap take-over next week?

If you are talking about Reinheitsgrebot then I think it is very limiting in beer making. Fine for a Pilner in Bavaria but that’s where it should stay.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If you are talking about Reinheitsgrebot then I think it is very limiting in beer making. Fine for a Pilner in Bavaria but that’s where it should stay.

And the Reinheitsgebot isn’t, in my opinion, a measure of quality....just a measure of the four ingredients in the beer. There’s plenty of shit beers made with these 4 ingredients.

 

[Questions]

That's a shame, Tubbs.

I used to be involved at a venue that hosted the beer festival on 3 occasions, and I wound up the guys because of my love of Punk.

The top 3 guys I had to deal with all said that they would like to change things because things really have changed.

These guys wanted to bring good pilsners and keg beers in, but the bearded types at the top table said no.

They're stuck in the past, which really doesn't do anybody any favours whatsover.

They do allow certain keg beers as long as the yeast is still alive.. That doesn’t often occur. Their stance on ‘bright’ cask ales is just contradictory.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

They do allow certain keg beers as long as the yeast is still alive.. That doesn’t often occur. Their stance on ‘bright’ cask ales is just contradictory.

Are they okay with “bright”?

 

[Questions]

Are they okay with “bright”?

Are they okay with “bright”?

Well they can be yes. I though don’t understand that stance if a sterile filtration has taken place and all microorganisms in the beer have been removed then the beer is no longer ‘living’ ( their criteria for real ale)
I know it’s all about brewery conditioning rules but what’s the difference between bright and normal keg beers apart from CO2 ?

And then there are key kegs which use CO2 to dispense the smaller containers but are allowed because they do not infiltrate the actual beer.

It’s all bollox HT......... camra are changing, but only because their old fogeys are dying off and younger members are having their say.
The way I look at it is like this....... Bombadier..Spitfire.. camra “We like”
Brewdog, Tiny Rebel, Beavertown, Magic Rock “naughty boys”

They did good but the fight is over now.

 

[Springal]

Anyone going to the new Brewdog Tower Hill brewhouse opening this weekend?

 

[beorhthelm]

...
I know it’s all about brewery conditioning rules but what’s the difference between bright and normal keg beers apart from CO2 ?

pasteurisation i believe.

 

[Questions]

pasteurisation i believe.

But whatever the process you are ending the living yeast - yes. Whether you heat the beer or put it through a mechanical filtration process. My local has two yearly beer festivals and our landlady ushered Camra out from any involvement years ago when they told her what style of beers to put on. She knew what people wanted nowadays so got shot of the old buggers. Plenty of young people out there now that know there stuff.
Not arguing with you beorhthelm just stating that the two should now sit happily together. Problem I find with cask at times is some pubs still sell Hophead and the lighter APA’s far too warm. Their management and landlords have no idea...... it’s not traditional bitter.

 

[Trufflehound]

Anyone going to the new Brewdog Tower Hill brewhouse opening this weekend?

This weekend I shall mostly be doing this:

http://www.zbf.be/en/

 

[beorhthelm]

But whatever the process you are ending the living yeast - yes.

yes, its like they have some objection to yeast dieing.

 

[The Tassie Seagull]

This weekend I shall mostly be doing this:

http://www.zbf.be/en/

And last weekend I was mostly doing this

http://www.freshhopfestival.com.au/

Good Times

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thursday the new city centre Stone Tap Room and Kitchen opens.
Friday Clloudwater Tap take over in another bar

You’ll know where to find me