NPR

A beer thread, not about beer. Interesting concept.

HH will be along shortly.. Sounding like Captain Caveman...

Don't often drink alcohol free anything but this pale from the Pretty Decent Beer Co wasn't bad

Oh nice, I drink a lot of AF beers. The one's you have posted are OK IMO, but there are some absolute belters out there as well. Problem is that for most of them you have to go direct or through an online retailer.

If you are interested I'll go through a few when I've got more time but Mash Gang are worth looking at, their lagers are the best around. Lowtide and Big Drop also have some very decent IPA's and other types.

The Guinness was quite odd. When they first released it it was far too sweet and I didn't like it at all, but they seem to have tweaked it since and it's excellent.

EnergiseR2 wrote: Mon Apr 17, 2023 12:41 pm By Lowtide do you mean Kinnegar Lowtide? Just ordered a few of those. By all accounts used to be 0.5% but is now a low alcohol 1%

Nope, Lowtide Brewing Co. They do a Brune that is lovely

SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers and associates, has been concerned for a while that the major brewers are using clever branding to pose as small independents and cash in on the craft brewing growth in the uk. Either by branding (Greene King and things like Flint Eye) or buying small breweries and industrialising them (e.g. Beavertown being 100% owned by Heineken).

So they’ve decided to stop using the term ‘craft brewer’ and instead are using an indie brewer certification. They’re going to provide a symbol for certified independents to put on cans / bottles / pub pumps, and have a website where you can check if a brewery is independent.

Website is https://indiebeer.uk/index.php#beerChecker

Biffer wrote: Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:57 am SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers and associates, has been concerned for a while that the major brewers are using clever branding to pose as small independents and cash in on the craft brewing growth in the uk. Either by branding (Greene King and things like Flint Eye) or buying small breweries and industrialising them (e.g. Beavertown being 100% owned by Heineken).

So they’ve decided to stop using the term ‘craft brewer’ and instead are using an indie brewer certification. They’re going to provide a symbol for certified independents to put on cans / bottles / pub pumps, and have a website where you can check if a brewery is independent.

Website is https://indiebeer.uk/index.php#beerChecker

Similar article in the Guardian last week.
Have to say Beavertown Neck Oil was my introduction to "craft" beer. My taste for independently brewed beer have developed somewhat since then

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... -breweries

I don't necessarily mind the large manufacturers making a few different types of beer, but there is definitely an element of misdirection to it.

The term 'craft beer' was more a category than a type or designation, so it makes sense to have a clear kitemark if it is seen as important to have a designation that the maker of the beer isn't a large multinational.

Not sure it will change things that much, as pubs with Neck Oil on tap will still have Neck Oil on tap, and pubs that focus upon craft/indie beers probably wouldn't have Neck Oil on tap anyway. Same with CAMRA and cask beers.

As a semi-related aside, I bought some shares in our old (sort-of) local in Bath 11 years ago as part of a community buyout, and we've only just now really got round to sorting out engagement with CAMRA. These sorts of thing are important but not really that important.

I am moving to the Czech Republic next Sept, i will be spoiled for choice.

Stayed in a wee pub in Tarbolton near Ayr.

£4 a pint, good selection, live band , great food, like going ten years back in time!!