Minor British Institutions: The campaign for Real Ale
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Obviously you don't have to have a big beer belly peeking out from your real-ale festival T-shirt to be a member of Camra – but it helps. It's also true that there are lots of real-ale bores (just as there are wine bores too), but none of this detracts from the import and enjoyability of Camra's long crusade to save decent British beer and habitable, proper pubs.
Its efforts are needed now more than ever. The campaign began in 1971, in the most westerly pub in Europe, Kruger's Bar in Co Kerry, when four young men from the north-west of England, Michael Hardman, Graham Lees, Bill Mellor and Jim Makin, were on holiday.
Fed up with the poor quality of British beer – too fizzy, with no character and no taste – they formed the Campaign for the Revitalisation of Ale, soon to become the snappier Campaign for Real Ale. Camra now boasts more than 100,000 members, an investment club and the indispensable Good Beer Guide to pubs, breweries, food and ales. Mine's a pint.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments