Friday 14 November 2014

Craft Beers Are About To Boom!

We have been learning about craft beers at the Lion and Bunkers Hill for well over 12 months.............there is no doubt, they are picking up in popularity.
 
There has been so much debate over what craft beers are and their relationship with cask ales. CAMRA in particular seem a little confused about whether they embrace them or disown them.........as though they were an embarrassing relative!......Our advert in CAMRA's Nottingham Drinker for craft beers was refused, as was Nottingham Brewery's......yet in the latest edition of CAMRA's What's Brewing, there is a leaflet specifically for for craft beer.......so what is the policy?....and what is the problem?
 
The Craft Beer producers, I suspect are not bothered about CAMRA....and so, it seems, are the cask ale micro brewers...with several already producing their own craft beers........Nottingham, Thornbridge, Navigation, Oakham, Adnams et al all have a keg rather than cask product available.........and the customers love the choice and quality.
 
So what is the definition of craft beer.........you know....who cares?.......they are beer products made to original recipies using very high quality ingredients and dispensed from a keg using gas.......and have bags of flavour.............
 
They are new and fresh and giving the pub industry something different to talk about.......but here is the rub.....THE IMAGE.......they are hip, stylish, female friendly, high quality with consistency and have a story which stretches over the water to the New World......USA.........Image of cask ale, however you dress it up is in a different place......and CAMRA, with justification, are reluctant to move from that..........and why should they?
 
CAMRA have overseen and supported the successful growth in cask ales and local micro breweries over the past 50 years.....especially the last 10......as a pub operator who has also supported cask ales for 20 years, we see craft beers as the perfect marriage to cask........the stories of both are exciting and vibrant.....attracting new and different customers to pubs......I could believe the younger members of CAMRA see this easily.....and Nottingham CAMRA has an excellent young members branch.
 
In the near future there will be a massive explosion of British and American craft bottled and draught beers........Meantime and Brewdog have led the way and from the USA expect to see the likes of Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, Blue Point, Bronx, Mad Fox,Sierra Nevada, Heart Land and many more make it to the pub shelves..............at the Lion and Bunkers Hill we will be developing our range of draught and bottled craft and the activity which goes with them........more real (hard) ciders, beer cocktails, flights of beers and growlers (take home bottles)..........all this alongside a great commitment to locally produced cask ales......perfect harmony!..............Today we have craft from Harvestioun, Meantime, Adnams, Fullers along side 11 cask ales.
 
Andrew Crawford
Operations Director
Pub People Company
 
Here at the Lion.......tonight we have the fantastic Loaded Dice and tomorrow Shinkickers, with our Sunday Jazz Cafe.......always superb.......Thornbridge are Novembers Brewer of the Month..........Check out our Christmas Burger Menu......bookings for Christmas parties are coming in fast

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