tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post7729339345220578603..comments2024-03-29T08:01:51.705+00:00Comments on The Pub Curmudgeon: Weak thinkingCurmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-9190249680028217582009-08-12T22:04:05.988+01:002009-08-12T22:04:05.988+01:00BrewDog Edge is meant to be a delicious mild at 2....BrewDog Edge is meant to be a delicious mild at 2.7%. And Manns Brown Ale is an OK beer at 2.8%, though far too sweet for me.<br /><br />I have long tried to convince people that you don't have to shovel loads down your neck to enjoy a good evening. Often a beer of 5% or slightly more is more satisfying than a weaker beer. My local barely has beers too far above 4% and it gets very repetitive drinking the same low-ABV malty dark bitters and bland golden ales.<br /><br />Beer is lovely but the British beer market really does need shaking up a lot - bitter and golden ale are OK but there are loads of other styles that would benefit from a bit of panache. Porter and stout in winter would be a reasonable idea - not so strong that it alienates people but alcoholic enough to actually have some flavour but that's impossible if people won't try anything different because "it's too strong" or "it's too dark". Denmark and the US are too far the other way with their extreme offerings (which I like, but not in a pub) - how about meeting halfway?<br /><br />CAMRA are digging themselves a massive hole here. I am convinced that they have been infiltrated by the neo-prohibitionist lobby as many of their recent pronouncements are bizarre for an organisation dedicated to making tasty ale available to the public.Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-80179561909781201212009-08-08T22:16:04.903+01:002009-08-08T22:16:04.903+01:00I have tried Weltons Pride 'n'Joy; and yes...I have tried Weltons Pride 'n'Joy; and yes I agree it's an excellent beer. However, so far as I know it's the only one available at this strength, and just because Ray Welton has got it right there's no reason to suppose others can or indeed will. With only one beer commercialy available at 2.8% it seems rather foolish of CAMRA to be campaigning for something there is clearly little demand for.<br /><br />As for the "People's Pint", this reminds me of the posters that appeared in the early 1970's, featuring Chairamn Mao and Kruschev look-alikes, promoting the Watneys "Red Revolution" I cringe at the thought!Paul Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09678639237696546268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-52749345839716599162009-08-08T01:30:18.277+01:002009-08-08T01:30:18.277+01:00Whatever happened to bicycles? Often when I'm ...Whatever happened to bicycles? Often when I'm cycling home from the pub I wish I lived somewhere more rural so the roads were quieter.Rob Sterowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870233673933087794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-52892594080627583392009-08-07T16:19:29.456+01:002009-08-07T16:19:29.456+01:00I'm not condemning the beer, just making the p...I'm not condemning the beer, just making the point that this initiative is unlikely to make much difference to the overall beer market, as the potential demand for sub-3.0% beers is very limited, no matter how tasty they are.<br /><br />My views on the drink-driving issue are made clear in the sidebar, and I certainly am concerned about the future of village pubs. But the official advice is that drivers should drink <b>no alcohol whatsoever</b> before driving, and it is the fact that a growing proportion of people take them at their word that is hitting the trade of country pubs. <br /><br />In reality, I doubt whether there are many people who are prepared to drink <i>some</i> alcohol before driving, and for whom the difference in quantity they feel will be OK for them between a 2.8% beer and a 3.6% beer will make the difference between going to the pub and not doing so. After all, if you feel you can drink two pints of 3.6%, you can only drink two and a half of 2.8%.<br /><br />And of course CAMRA's press release was silent on this point as otherwise they would immediately have been condemned by the anti-drink lobby for encouraging drink-driving.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-81089359956871389622009-08-07T09:18:57.572+01:002009-08-07T09:18:57.572+01:00Have any of you actually tasted Pride 'n' ...Have any of you actually tasted Pride 'n' Joy? Please try it before you start pontificating! The point is that Ray Welton has SUCCEEDED in doing what some of you think (with no empirical basis) is impossible - brewing a low-alcohol, full-tasting beer that you can drink in reasonable volume and still comply with the law. <br /><br />RedNev is absolutely right - in rural Sussex we have to drive to pubs to socialise while drinking beer - and you can sink a couple of pints of Pride 'n' Joy without going too near to the limit, an important point in a county whose police force seems bent on harassing anyone driving a vehicle away from a pub. <br /><br />It takes a hell of a lot of skill to produce a low-alcohol, full-tasting beer. While I take the point that this "People's Pint" isn't the brightest idea that CAMRA has come up with, Pride 'n' Joy exists for a purpose. The reality is that we can't always go out with a designated driver, especially at lunch-time. Aren't at least some of you concerned about the death of the village pub? Offering a low-strength beer gives the publican a chance of attracting people who would otherwise not visit. And on and on and on ...Normannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-71023302440220163032009-08-06T22:15:55.104+01:002009-08-06T22:15:55.104+01:00I think that this is an ill thought out idea that ...I think that this is an ill thought out idea that I hope will be soon forgotten.Paul Garrardhttp://www.realaleblog.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-37629752075789251782009-08-06T20:42:09.039+01:002009-08-06T20:42:09.039+01:00A beer brewed at 2.8%, or weaker, doesn't have...A beer brewed at 2.8%, or weaker, doesn't have much appeal so far as I am concerned. I won't repeat the reasons for this, as Curmudgeon has already nicely summed them up, but I must admit I was more than a little surprised at today's announcement by CAMRA. <br /><br />The Campaign is right to feel proud about reaching the 100,000 member landmark, but why go and shoot ourselves in the foot with this silly, mis-concieved idea? We are trying to promote beers that are full of flavour; something that just isn't possible with a 2.8% beer!Paul Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09678639237696546268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-78036166396287845632009-08-06T16:28:01.048+01:002009-08-06T16:28:01.048+01:00But unless you really crave the volume, two pints ...But unless you really crave the volume, two pints of reasonable beer may well be more appealing than three of weak, watery beer. And, of course, the official li(n)e is that even a half of shandy will turn you into a drunken killer on the roads.<br /><br />Another problem is that, the weaker a beer is, the quicker you have to turn it over, so you'd have to sell quite a lot of 2.8% beer to make it viable.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-44580439680475520482009-08-06T15:49:46.567+01:002009-08-06T15:49:46.567+01:00It could help country pubs: at 2.8%, a driver coul...It could help country pubs: at 2.8%, a driver could probably have 3 pints and not break the law, which is rather more attractive than soft drinks or shandy.Neville Grundyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10923209266005338452noreply@blogger.com