The Great British Beer Festival
Strangely, I’d never been to the Campaign for Real Ale’s Great British Beer Festival before Saturday; suffice to say, I’ll definitely go again. While there were a couple of somewhat tasteless, somewhat annoying groups that looked like stag parties, everything was good-natured. I met up with a few friends but the main thing, of course, is the beer. Just about every beer under the sun (except, sadly, much stout) was represented there.
Given that this was an event to celebrate beer in all its many and varied forms, there was remarkably little drunkenness. Scrap that; there was drunkenness, but nothing Chaucerian. I maintain my two, key arguments in favour of drinking real ale; that it’s hard to drink as much ale as cheap lager of the Foster’s variety; and that, having done so, the most antisocial thing you want to do is smoke a pipe, grow a beard and talk knowingly about hops and malt.
On that note, I’d just mention that the demographic of the Festival was very varied - lots of young people, for instance, and hardly any beards, despite my best efforts.
CAMRA is, amongst other things, a campaigning group and two of its campaigns in particular caught my eye. One is ‘take it to the top‘, seeking to make sure that every pint of beer is just that - a pint of beer. Evidently, one in four pints has too much of a head, which is mostly air. The campaign seeks a change in the law and promotes the use of lined glasses, which have a mark for a pint and a bit of glass above that for the head. You can sign a petition in support of the campaign here.
The other is on tax. Beer tax in the UK is high; indeed, it is the highest in the EU. I don’t entirely support the campaign, as I’d like to see differential rates of tax to support small breweries and maintenance of the current rates of tax on alcopops and so on. The rates of tax on beer are so high that they do push people to the supermarkets and to smuggled beer. That, altogether, is part of the reason for the trend towards urban drinking-barns and their ensuing problems. There’s a Facebook group to join.
Beer of the festival for me was Graal Gember, a Belgian, ginger-spiced, blond beer.
xD.
August 11th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
In East Anglia we like our beer without a head. Not only does it taste better that way but you get a full pint!
August 12th, 2008 at 3:55 am
Great post!
My pal “Bob the Brit” was able to visit the Beer Festival as well, and from what he wrote about being there it seems to be a great experience!
I also find it interesting that consumers are getting together to express their frustration with getting less value from their beer. From the barkeeps pouring huge heads, to the government’s oppressive taxes - can’t a guy just get a pint for a decent price anymore?
August 12th, 2008 at 11:52 am
What does Alice think about her spicy blonde rival?
August 12th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Oh I’m not too worried, WW, I’m spicy enough for Dave and far more intoxicating. And I’m not ginger, either, which is a bonus.
August 12th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Paul,
Actually, I like a head on my beer. It just annoys me when it’s two centimetres at the top and the head ends a centimetre short of the rim of the glass. In Somerset, they often have a big, frothy head that sticks out above the glass, which I really like. Lined glasses are a great solution all round.
Scott,
I’m glad that Bob the Brit enjoyed the festival. I’m definitely going again. As I said, I’d be in favour of differential taxation for different types of beer. By taxing real ale - which has a different drinking profile to lagers and alcopops - in the way they do and by failing to deal with short measures, they are driving people to alcoholic drinks that are associated with ‘problem drinking’.
WW,
I’d say that Alice answered your question.
Alice,
You’re ginger… well, redheaded, sometimes.
xD.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Well said, Alice!