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News Article Comments : 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy'
Search hard enough amongst the gloom of what’s happening in the pub and beer market right now, you’ll find the odd shaft of light. cask ale is enjoying a renaissance, outperforming every other sector.
This is especially welcome since as yet Tesco et al haven’t worked out how to give their shoppers the true “beer at home experience”.
So cask ale is still a real reason to visit the pub. Cause to celebrate perhaps?
You’d think that the beardy weirdies of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) would be happy that their favourite brew is seemingly coming to the rescue of at least part of the British pub scene.
But no! Apparently, according to the malcontents of Camra’s sandal-clad, whisker-stroking stormtroopers a guest ale’s not a guest ale unless it comes from some oddball brewery down a country lane and is served with bits in it under a name like Knackered Old Cripplecock.
At Marston’s we have five proper breweries, six brand families, 88 beers brewed in total, 35 ales available pe
46 Posts(s) found for this thread: Now displaying page 3 of 5
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Philip Clark 14/03/2009 16:36:30  |
RE: 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' Hmm you don't really understand do you Mr Oliver? The point of supporting the right of landlords to stock guest beers is to improve competition and give small (and not so small) brewers a toehold into the market where they are frozen out by pubco and brewery-owned pubs. So it means stocking a beer not brewed by yourselves. This post replies to this thread |
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Phil Liddell 14/03/2009 19:15:11 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' Funny how tar and brush comes to mind. The CAMRA mambers you notice may be the bearded ones, but then again, isn't it always the 'extremist' minority that attract the most attention. No there will be many people frequenting your pub (providing you serve traditional ale), who are members without beards and sandals and big beer bellies. And isn't that discrimination to those of a portly size with facial hair. No, don't reply to that one! If it wasn't for CAMRA, all we'd be supping would be Watney's Red Barrel (sick) and Whitbread Tankard, because that's all the Major Brewers were bothered to brew. And despite the millions of £'s sunk into advertising them,are they still around? No, quality shows through. And as for Mr Oliver, what a trumped up tirade that was. Just because the only decent ale his Company brew is Pedigree, (purely in my opinion), they can't be bothered to brew seasonal beers, their only diversification is to buy out successful Breweries (Jennings, Ringwood, Refresh), and boast about their 'proper breweries'. Well these Breweries with their well established fine Beers, are proping up Marstons tired brands, but all will go the way of Mansfield, Border and many other traditional Breweries that W & D or Marstons as they like to be known, have closed down. He's only jealous of the stepped beer duty as enjoyed by the smaller brewers. 'Brewed out of a cupboard' he knows as much about Micro and Regional Breweries as he does about his knackered pub estate. Nowt!!!! edited by: Phil Liddell at: 14/03/2009 19:15:14 This post replies to kevin o'connor > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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| Phil Liddell 14/03/2009 19:11:40 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' And the CAMRA Good Beer Guide isn't for your information a 'paid entry' it is purely through merit, unlike most other publications. Entries will be deleted at any time, if standards aren't up to scratch. That's true quality control isn't it. And isn't our trade about customer choice - not what we want, what the customer wants. And at least Real Ale is a growth sector in a time of depresion. This post replies to this thread |
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| beerblogger 14/03/2009 19:32:22 |
RE: 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' I know CAMRA has an image problem but some of us are young(ish), female and definitely NOT bearded. And no sandals in sight. Visit beertester.blogspot.com for a picture to prove it! Gobby hobbit I'm not, but I am an active CAMRA member because I believe the organisation does, on the whole, good work to promote real ale, keep standards up and most importantly keep real beer (and cider) in the press. This post replies to this thread |
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kevin o'connor 14/03/2009 19:32:16 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' Don't understand tar and brush, never mentioned the CAMRA guide at all, try reading what I posted. This post replies to Phil Liddell > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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| kevin o'connor 14/03/2009 19:32:16 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' Don't understand tar and brush, never mentioned the CAMRA guide at all, try reading what I posted. This post replies to Phil Liddell > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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| Phil Liddell 14/03/2009 21:03:42 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' "On David's point the only time we would have got in any book promoting real ale in pubs they wanted us to pay for the entry, not a great quality control method I would have thought" So what don't you understand Kevin ???? If you have to pay someone for an entry into a book, then that is advertising. CAMRA Good Beer Guide doesn't charge for entry. It is by merit only. Merit in serving good traditional beer. Or is there something I don't understand? Tarring everyone with the same brush - haven't ever heard of that expression?? You mention beard and sandals - tar / brush? And Aunt Sally's Ar*ewipe - never heard of that one. Hope you enjoy your tenancy with Marstons Pub Co. Making a fortune are you? Oliver believes you are, between taking a swipe at a successful consumer organisation and a non - profit making asssociation - SIBA. . Olivers Ordinary Ale, or Stephen's Slops might be one for Marston's Catch your reply at 2pm when I've finished serving some fine real ale. This post replies to kevin o'connor > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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| David Pott 15/03/2009 11:27:40 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' Phil, it is supposed to be by merit for keeping good beer but in practice the beer is often bland to say the least while a pub a couple of minutes away that sells excellent ales isn't mentioned because no one from camra drinks there. This post replies to Phil Liddell > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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| kevin o'connor 15/03/2009 13:53:31 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' Here we go again, I have never mentioned CAMRA's guide, you are the one making the connection not me. Still do not understand what you are trying to say regarding tar and brush. As we have two freehold pubs in South Devon we have no connection with Marstons and do not sell any of their products not sure that insult really works. As to making a fortune, well these things are relative, but Saturday was our best day ever and part of our best week ever and we are 100% wet. As your post was timed at 9.03pm not sure I understand your comment re 2.00pm. Perhaps you are spending too much time with the "gobby Hobbits" edited by: kevin o'connor at: 15/03/2009 13:54:34 This post replies to Phil Liddell > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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| Phil Liddell 15/03/2009 19:06:45 |
'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' "We're not going anywhere again". I have merely defended the blinkered view of CAMRA that you and Oliver seem to have. You agree with his sentiments - that all CAMRA members are pot bellied, bearded, sandal wearing, gobby hobbits - and they don't drink Aunt Sally's ar*ewipe as far as I know- but you seem to know best. I made the wrong assumption that you were a leaseholder like me, it was not an 'insult'. Many apologies - and I'm pleased that as a freeholder you are making a profit, and that the recession isn't biting. You have the choice of who's beer you buy - if you sell loads of the cold fizzy ones produced in a chemical factory, or a tired national brand, then good for you. If the punters drink it, that's, their perogative, you've targetted the right market. I would love have the same purchasing power as you - to buy barrels at reasonable cost, and serve the customers what THEY want. I can't because I'm tied for my beers, if I could turn my leasehold into a freehold, I would. Neither do I differentiate between my lager drinkers and my cask ale drinkers - microbrewery or National Brewer. They all get the same respect - it is THEIR choice. I will try to explain again - you tar all CAMRA members with the same brush, i.e. your perception of them is as above. They are NOT all the same - see other posters. For a National Brewer Chief Executive to use his position to do the same in this Trade publication seems a little OTT and very disrespectful. As for the 2am bit, I don't have much time to post - I posted at 9, then was working till 2am - serving lager, real ale whatever. Hope I've explained my comments sufficiently. By the way, why don't you serve Marstons?. edited by: Phil Liddell at: 15/03/2009 19:08:39 This post replies to kevin o'connor > 'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy' |
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