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Beer and Pub News Round Up
The Good Beer Guide, the flagship publication of the Campaign for Real Ale, has been given a complete overhaul for its 29th edition. It's part of the drive by CAMRA to shed the "beards-and-anorak" image beloved by satirists, and to prove that real ale is the smart drink for young people.
The guide still includes 5,000 of the best pubs serving cask-conditioned beer but 4,000 of them now have much longer descriptions. Explains editor Roger Protz: "In the early days of CAMRA you needed a fast car, a powerful torch and an Ordnance Survey map to find real ale pubs. Today, with cask ale pubs in abundance, the problem is to single out the ones that serve the beer in tip-top condition."
"The old GBG descriptions, such as 'friendly back-street boozer', will no longer do for today's more sophisticated drinkers. They want to know more about the history, the architecture, the welcome, the food, and facilities for families when they choose which pub to visit."
"We set CAMRA members the daunting task of writing 100-word descriptions of pubs and they have come up trumps. The Good Beer Guide is not only the longest-running and best-selling guide to pubs and breweries but also offers the most up-to-date information about them as a result of the efforts of our 60,000 members."
The Good Beer Guide can be obtained from local pubs – The Wenlock Arms, Hoxton and Duke of Hamilton, Hampstead – or direct from CAMRA cost £12.99, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW, 01727 867201 for credit card orders; or visit www.camra.org.uk.
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SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, have launched a new category of membership aimed at publicans who sell beers from independent brewers. The cost is £20 per annum and in return the publican will get a plaque for the pub, SIBA's journal and listing on their website. For further details of membership contact peter@siba.co.uk.
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Although lager still makes up 96% of the beer Americans consume, indications are that American are becoming more sophisticated in their beer drinking. The premium end of the lager market has seen a 26% growth, now representing 13% of all lager consumed and dark ale and stout now represents 3% of all beer consumed, which might not sound a lot but represents 750 million litres per annum. Look out for the “boutique" brewers next time you are States side for some quality ales.
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If you are interested in good bottled beer, then look out for CAMRA's new Good Bottled Beer Guide by Jeff Evans. Available in book shops, via CAMRA or at most CAMRA beer festivals. Price: £8.99 (£5.99 to CAMRA members).
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The Finchley Road has a new pub located in the O2 Centre, just north of the tube station, and named simply Wetherspoon's. Formerly occupied by Babe Ruth restaurant, this is a huge outlet with massive picture windows and ranks of comfy armchairs, opening directly out onto the first floor of the Centre. There are two family areas, which is handy if you're bringing the kids to the adjacent cinema. The Centre also features a Safeway's, Books Etc, and a huge number of restaurants. Beers available at the time of the visit included Courage Best and Directors, Summer Lightning, Abbot and Badger Tanglefoot.
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A report from CAMRA indicates that one in five pubs are now owned by foreign investors, with one in six owned or controlled by German or Japanese investment banks. Mike Benner, Head of Campaigns, said “An un-coordinated and case by case interventionist approach into individual mergers and takeovers is failing to stem the flow of consolidation in this major UK industry". CAMRA is calling for the Government to develop a strategy to prevent any more consolidation before consumer choice and competition is further eroded.
Reproduced from the Full Pint, Issue 13.
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