CAMpaign for Real-Ale
CAMRA Aims & Objectives
What is real ale?
In the early 1970s CAMRA coined the term ‘real ale’ to make it easy for people to differentiate between the bland processed beers being pushed by the big brewers and the traditional beers whose very existence was under threat.
Many pubs and brewers use the term to describe their beers, but, just to keep you confused, they are also called cask beers, cask-conditioned ales or even real beer! In the pub the huge majority of real ales are served using traditional hand-pulls, rather than through modern fonts, but there are some exceptions to this, so if in any doubt, just ask at the bar.
Real ale is a natural product brewed using traditional ingredients and left to mature in the cask (container) from which it is served in the pub through a process called secondary fermentation. It is this process which makes real ale unique amongst beers and develops the wonderful tastes and aromas which processed beers can never provide.
CAMRA campaigns for real ale, real pubs and consumer rights. It is an independent, voluntary organisation with 80,000 members and have been described as the most successful consumer group in Europe. CAMRA promotes good-quality real ale and pubs, as well as acting as the consumer's champion in relation to the UK and European beer and drinks industry. We aim to:
Protect and improve consumer rights
Promote quality, choice and value for money
Support the public house as a focus of community life
Campaign for greater appreciation of traditional beers, ciders and perries as part of our national heritage and culture
Seek improvements in all licensed premises and throughout the brewing industry
CAMRA campaigns nationally, regionally and locally to achieve its aims. Through numerous books, guides, awards and presentations, it rewards good practice and encourages high standards, whether in brewing, pub cellarmanship, pub design or simply running a good pub.
The Great British Beer Festival, the Good Beer Guide, the Champion Beer of Britain Awards, and the Pub of the Year are all national in scope, though its 180 local branches run local festivals and awards, and produce their own local guides.
The Furness Branch covers the area of Lancashire, North of the Sands (bordered by the rivers Duddon, Brathay and Winster) plus a bit of South Cumberland, as far north as Bootle, see map here. We are an active branch organizing brewery visits, beer tasting, social trips, beer festivals etc. If you like real-ale and fancy getting more involved then why not join us at our next meeting. See you there!