Remember back in 1999 or 2003 when the thought the internet would change the balance of things and open up opportunities for "citizen journalists"? Silly wasn't it. Instead, we have newspapermen writing "blogs" and politicians (or at least their staff) yapping on Twitter as if they knew what they were doing. Once in while, however, a veil is actually drawn aside and you see something you might not have before like this:
I promised I'd let you know the outcome of the small group CAMRA set up to look at craft beer. I am not sure that I'm meant to, but since the groups existence is in the public domain, I don't see why its outcomes shouldn't be. It was all done in a bit of a hurry, but taken very seriously by the participants. We corresponded a lot, exchanged views, read a lot of stuff including a lot of blogger articles and comments, which I contributed - mine and others - and met to decide what we wanted to put to the National Executive. There was no disagreement from any of the Working Party about the final proposals. We set the background by setting out principles behind the recommendations.
We have a lot to thank Tandleman for but nothing so much as making CAMRA more understandable to those of us who either are not members of live elsewhere in the world, unaffected by the organizations goals or processes. As I have written before, this is not an easy thing to accomplish so the reporting by Twitter today from the vote as well as the background posts frame CAMRA's ways in something that is far better informed than my knee jerk reactions.
That being said, the conservatism of CAMRA in the preservationist sense is fairly pronounced if not shocking. Rejecting a simple truth like this: "CAMRA officially recognises that good beers exist which are not real ale"? I am having a hard time distinguishing that news from other bits and pieces today like Google Hops or Orval in a can.
To each their own, I guess. As a lapsed Mason, I know the drive to embrace an abstraction or detached principle can be stronger than the cold sting of reality. Because it is easier. Folk like Tandy will continue along the tougher path, arguing for a larger raft approach. Sooner or later, if not embraced, rejection of common sense will likely find CAMRA's relevance slip or at least its actual purpose as a talking club supporting unresponsive benefit receiving staff and executive admitted. Fortress CAMRA. Who will care?
Comments
Bailey - April 1, 2012 12:06 PM
This is how revolutions happen in Britain: slowly, if ever, so that no-one notices. CAMRA will have a new, more sensible constitution by about 2035.
Alan - April 1, 2012 12:10 PM
We recall this sensation here in Upper Canada. Called the Family Compact it held back reality for decades. There is, after all, no Tory like a UK Tory.
Ian - April 1, 2012 3:56 PM
The quote here is only part of the preamble of the motion which was defeated. The substance of the motion was that CAMRA should serve craft keg products "where they are required to provide a full bar". A perfectly reasonable motion, unfortunately it seems that any mention of the C word results in massive logic failures - CAMRA will still provide "full" bars serving non-real beers and lagers, for example at jazz festivals, but the organisers will be under no obligation, or even encouragement, to source those beers from quality producers!
John Clarke - April 1, 2012 7:17 PM
I wasn't there but from what I understand the motion went down not on that but the fact that it also included a proviso to sell keg beers at some beer festivals. The motion that WAS passed is not insignificant:
"This Conference believes that CAMRA policy should recognise that “Craft Beer” is beer with a distinctive flavour brewed by artisans. As a consequence, most real ales are craft beers but not all craft beers are real ale and CAMRA’s communication should reflect this"
Thus CAMRA has accepted that craft beer is distinctive and brewed by artisans but is not necessarily real ale. That does give "non-real" ales some sort of approval. Changing CAMRA policy on something like this was always going to be a bit like steering the proverbial oil tanker. It will get there in the end - and sooner rather than later I think.
It's worth bearing in mind though that in the UK "craft keg" for want of a better phrase, for all the hype behind it, is a tiny fraction of the beer market, is made by a tiny number of brewers* and sold in a tiny number of bars.
* and with perhaps half a dozen exceptions, all those brewers that produce "craft keg" do in fact major on cask in big way.
PS - just curious why someone who lives in Canada and is not a member of CAMRA should be so interested in all of this.
Alan - April 1, 2012 7:52 PM
What an odd PS, John. I can't imagine why you would not know.
Steve Gates - April 2, 2012 12:54 AM
Why the hell indeed Alan, you know us colonials should be way too busy rebuiding our igloos, chopping down trees and hunting moose and seals to be concerned with such a civilized enterprise. What were we thinking?
Alan - April 2, 2012 8:13 AM
Thank heavens I have others to let me know when I have stepped over a line.