Collaboration produces results at international fest
The country’s biggest consumer group and a pioneering pub chain have joined forces to promote what has been billed as “the world’s biggest international real ale festival” this month.
JD Wetherspoon and The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in what is their closest relationship yet have got together in a festival of beer which offers drinkers up to 50 cask-conditioned ales and ciders over a two-week period. One beer, CAMRAle, brewed by the Wiltshire brewery Wadworth, has been chosen especially by CAMRA, who also contributed articles to the 30-page official festival programme.
Other beers on offer include some produced by guest brewers from Japan, America, Australia and Denmark, imported European beers, organic and fruit beers, and craft ciders from the U.S.
Members of Lunesdale CAMRA visited the Green Ayre pub in Lancaster city centre to sample the ales available. Press Officer Julian Holt commented: “All the beers we tried were in excellent condition, and there was a wonderful variety of styles, from Thwaites’ Nutty Black, a 3.9% dark mild, to the pale and hefty Anker Goulden Carolus at 8%. Everything we tried was fresh and bursting with flavour: we congratulate the Green Ayre staff on achieving such great results.”
Manager Stuart Blackburn said, “Real ale is a living product which thrives on care and attention to detail. We’ve worked hard to bring these beers to our customers in the best possible condition and are delighted with their reponse.”
Wetherspoon’s has 171 pubs in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2009. The festival runs officially until Sunday 16 November, with the Sir Richard Owen in Lancaster and The Eric Bartholomew in Morecambe also participating.