Camra Vs Craft Beer

[Bribie G]

LRJ
$2.50 a litre would equate to around sixty bucks a brew?????

 

[BOG]

I brew ales that are along the lines of CAMRA ales, I just don't have a cask and hand pump.

What happens to a CAMRA ale that's submitted to a contest for judging in a bottle?


Is it automatically disqualified ?

 

[Bribie G]

CAMRA also classifies bottle conditioned beers as "Real Ale", so as long as it's conditioned by priming in the bottle it's covered. Examples, Worthington White Shield etc. edit: may be wrong but CAMRA are more about monitoring what's going on in the trade and doesn't run competitions as such, although can give its blessing to various beers such as "Best UK Mild 2011" whatever.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

LRJ
$2.50 a litre would equate to around sixty bucks a brew?????

That was my most expensive brew ever - yes a tad less than $60 for a 23L batch (and a tad less than $2.50 per L).

I had 4 different hop types (not that much, I know), mostly late added and it was just a massive whack of hops in there to about 60IBU IIRC. To get 60IBU from mainly late additions is an expensive exercise but it was a fantastic beer and bucketloads of fun to do (don't we say that home brew is an expensive way to make cheap beer?).

Plus I used the most expensive grains available.

Great recipe, I want to make it again, but can't justify it. My Nelson Citra Amber Ale is waaaaaay cheaper and pretty damn good.

With Perle at $3.50 per kg (for 5 kg + orders), the other end of the scale is considerably cheaper - even considering I've not got any bulk buy grains.

Goomba

 

[eamonnfoley]

I beg to differ. We (the home brewer) can do them properly in oz, as we don't have to skimp on ingredients to make a good beer at reasonable value. Even my most hoppiest APA (choc full of US and Euro hops) is still $2.50 a litre and I don't bulk buy grain (though I'd like to). If I bulk bought grain, it'd be closer to $1.50 per Litre.

However, the craft/micro/whatever brewers that have to sell them, pay excise and still try to make a profit, can't really do so without being a little underdone. It's not their fault, just competing with megaswill, whilst trying to make a profit without pricing themselves out of the market and not getting the same rate for bulk purchases is just so damn hard.

Goomba

Beg to differ? Looks like you agree with me. I was referring to commercial brewers not putting out good examples, not homebrewers. Thats why I wonder why Aussie micros aren't pioneering less hoppy styles.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Beg to differ? Looks like you agree with me. I was referring to commercial brewers not putting out good examples, not homebrewers. Thats why I wonder why Aussie micros aren't pioneering less hoppy styles.

Sweet - we do agree.

I've had some good quality micro beer, but nothing outrageously hoppy. I think S&W PA and Boston Mill Pale Ale are good hoppy-ish beers, but not OTT hoppy like some AMericans

 

[eamonnfoley]

Sweet - we do agree.

I've had some good quality micro beer, but nothing outrageously hoppy. I think S&W PA and Boston Mill Pale Ale are good hoppy-ish beers, but not OTT hoppy like some AMericans

For me, good american hoppy beers arent always about the quantity of hops, but the quality of hops, quality of brewing (water profile, etc) and the overall consistency of the beer. Just like other beer styles. Good brewing shines in american beers as much as less hoppy styles. You can't cover faults up with excessive hops.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Yup - good technique and recipe formulation plus good hops always help.

I have this thing where people bag out Nelson Sauvin as a hop. Well used, it's fantastic, but you have to do it right, or it'll pull your pants down.

 

[bum]

Well used, it's fantastic, but you have to do it right, or it'll pull your pants down.

Either that or people don't like it.

 

[brett mccluskey]

Regardless of his views on beer, if that is that bloggers idea of journalism or how to communicate via the written word... Then whatever he is arguing against is ok by me.

Personally, i think Mark writes and communicates his thoughts on beer quite well. Others may disagree though

between the accent and the reflection off those two bald heads i couldnt understand a word or see a thing but i do believe in what camra is trying to do and very much succeeding in doing . i think camra is fkn fantastic for the uk, only wish there were something similar over here . oh and dont worry i am very much balding too

whats wrong with sticking up for the traditions which have given us so many great beer styles?

Absolutely nothing wrong with sticking up for ,and protecting the "Great British Real Ale",but what saddens and disappoints me is the often expressed view by some of the CAMRA 'extremists',that 'real ale' is somehow superior to a beer that isn't 'real',ie:served from a cask or bottle that hasn't undergone secondary fermentation in that vessel.This is nothing but ill informed claptrap,and denigration of other beer styles as far as i'm concerned. It looks like they'd recommend a pub that served 'real ale',even if the beer tasted like cats piss (and many do),over the pub next door that happened to use a 'cask breather',which adds a layer of CO2 to prevent oxidation,even if that beer was a cracker. At their AGM a couple of months ago,one CAMRA branch actually put forward a motion saying they believed 'real ale ' had positive health benefits,but any beer that used "chemical additives" or extraneous gas (CO2 , nitrogen) was possibly a health risk Thankfully the motion was defeated,a victory for common sense. German or Czech pils? Chemical crap..Belgian ale? Not worth trying cos it has "additives" (candi sugar,spices).Protecting and appreciating the style of beer they formed to save from the mass produced rubbish that was starting to take over the UK at the time (Watneys,etc)is great,and i give them 10 points,but it's a bit sad when this gets to the level of one eyed extremism,knocking any other beer that isn't "real".