Breweries backing CAMRA milestone

Breweries are getting behind the 40th birthday of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) this month with the launch of a range of dedicated ales.

Across the country local CAMRA branches have been working with local brewers to produce the celebratory ales as the campaigning consumer organisation hits 40 on 16 March.

The West Berkshire Brewery, in Yattendon, Berkshire, has worked with its local CAMRA branch to produce a 4% ABV ruby coloured beer called WB40. It is set to brew the draught beer this week.

Founding director Helen Maggs said: "The CAMRA branch specified the ABV, style, name and label.

"We are hoping to sell it to pubs throughout Berkshire and help them pro-mote CAMRA."

Brewster's Brewery in Grantham, Lincolnshire, is launching Ruby Cubed (4%), a ruby coloured beer hopped with Amarillo and Summit hops. Brewster's owner Sara Barton said: "We had the local Grantham CAMRA branch down to help."

In Herefordshire the Wye Valley Brewery is producing an IPA called Campaign Ale, (5%), which it has developed with help from its local CAMRA branch.

Other breweries launching products include Staffordshire-based Burton Bridge Brewery, which is launching Founders Four (4.5%), Kinver Brewery in Stourbridge, West Midlands (Life Begins, 4%) and Oldershaw Brewery in Grantham, with Roaring Forties (4.5%).

Tony Jerome, acting head of marketing at CAMRA, said: "We are delighted that a number of breweries are kindly brewing special real ales to help CAMRA celebrate its 40th birthday.

"I hope CAMRA members in the local areas will go out and toast our four decades

of campaigning."