"Camra says this is Real Ale"

This is a Camra campaign in association with the brewing industry to promote bottle conditioned beer. It has caused some controversy given the variablility of some micro BC beers, and the very limited amount of bottle conditioning which sometimes actually goes on.

Yes, Titanic Stout is BC, so I don't know why they don't say so on the label. AFAIK only BC beers should have the 'Camra says' logo on them.

Best regards, Paul

-- Paul Sherwin Consulting

Whilst I'm not the official spokesperson for the campaign, I think I can give you an answer.

Some brewers may of course still use "bottle-conditioned" on their labels, but what you have picked up on is that CAMRA have decided to drop the expression "bottle-conditioned" in favour of promoting "real ale in a bottle". Which can admittedly be a bit tricky for those of us who have got used to referring to BCA's.

It shouldn't make any difference to the contents :-)

In message , davek wrote

All the bottles of Budvar will be carrying this label soon.

And very nice it was too (I was involved in the judging)!

I'm looking forward to tasting it but I'm saving it for later. Interestingly, the GBBG says Titanic's beers are neither filtered nor reseeded when bottled.

I've just opened the Sierra Nevada and it is gorgeous - intense grapefruity hop bitterness, but balanced by rich, complex malt flavours (a nice background nuttiness and a touch of burnt caramel) so the hops aren't too overwhelming (as they are in some American beers I've tried recently).

d.

Keep up at the back, COOP Gold Miner [my beer] has had the logo etc for over

18 months, AFAIK it was the first. Same as the Isinglass spuff about Sainsbury beers - again, the COOP was first with Gold Miner [and we took loads of flak over it too] . Now when will the others follow the COOP with its extensive use of Braille on its own labels - or will SainsCo Take the credit for that too? Give them credit where its due, the COOP are often at the forefront of food issues, but rarely get the accolades the others do eg - Organics, Fair trade, ethical banking/sourcing, cutting out additives and excessive salt/sugar, informative food labeling, local sourcing. All are and have been for some time COOP initiatives.

Interesting. I've been drinking Gold Miner all this time (a fine beer, by the way) and not managed to notice that.

Yes, but us bleeding-heart liberal Guardianista types don't shop in the Co-op if we can help it - we prefer Waitrose and Sainsbury's. I only ever go in there because it's at the end of my road, but it is generally so poorly stocked (Gold Miner is the only drinkable beer they offer) that I often make the effort to go a bit further to a different shop.

And while their policies on all these food issues are laudable indeed, they could do with paying a bit more attention to quality and taste.

d.

Bought some a few weeks ago which didn't appear to have the logo on it.

Also frothed uncontrollaby when the bottle was opened (despite being stored in cool conditions)

davek wrote: [...]

My local Co-op always makes me think of stores in Communist Russia. The shelves are rarely stocked, and what is there is surprisingly expensive given the lousy range and questionable quality.

If you actually manage to find anything to buy, you can be assured of a long queue. Why they have a half dozen checkouts and then not open

*any* of them (leaving people to use the tobacco counter) remains a mystery. And no, I don't want a bloody loyalty card.

Since it's virtually impossible to even get, say, a pint of milk and a loaf of bread in there, you would be right in guessing that I don't even bother looking down the booze aisle, in case I get tangled up in a bit of tumbleweed.

(re; Gold Miner)

It's not just me then. Superb beer - I'm very glad our local Coop stocks it - but a pain to pour.

Regards, Andrew.

Haha ! Mine too, lost most of the 1st bottle to the kitchen floor ;-o I think it *has* to stand for a day after transportation (and the bottle suggests fridging it for about 1/2 hour before use too)

Cheers - Neil

In article , "Neil Smith [MVP Digital Media]" writes (re; Gold Miner)

Mine had stood for about a fortnight ( I was temporarily 'on the wagon' due to incompatible medication).

I'll try that and see if it helps, though I don't want it too cold.

Regards, Andrew.

Did it say "Contains FISH"?!

Gareth.

Have a look at the neck label - the pilot wording is 1/ the Camra logo, 2/ wording below the label "Supports real ale in a bottle. Please pour with care" Yes as stated on here, it can be a bit lively if the store has kept it warm, chill in the fridge (it stands up to a chill rather well) and then pur into a pre-rinsed [wet] pint glass, enjoy!

If you know about it in advance, you can pour the bottle into a jug and let it settle. IMO this degassing improves the drinkability of many bottled beers anyway.

Best regards, Paul

-- Paul Sherwin Consulting

re Titanic's beers being unfiltered before bottling, I doubt that what is in the GBBG is correct, but may have been in the past?

AFAIK they now bottled with Hepworth's (i.e. still brewed in Stoke) & use sterile filtration before reseeding with clean yeast. I may be wrong, but that's what I had heard, as to do otherwise (e.g. to not filter at all) can't ensure the shelf-life demanded by supermarkets (up to 15months, which is daft anyway).

re SNPA (as our beery Yankily chums call it) yes, a truly fantastic beer, stunning and powerfully flavoured, but as you say, beautifully balanced, unlike some US brews IMO.

cheers MikeMcG

I accept the advice above from Paul & Don, but the trouble is, the beer seems to be *so* carbonated that when it's opened, the carbonation takes all of the yeast up into the beer with it (as it shoots out of the top of the bottle!)

Lovely as it has been when I've got to try it, IMO Goldminer is more carbonated than almost any other beer I've ever had, and the soakings that myself & the waiter in a BYO CurryHouse got recently are testament to that (I kid you not).

I'm not looking for the dry-cleaning bill, Don :~) but I hope next batch you & Marston's are going to sort this out? IMO I think BCA/RAIBs should be a bit less carbonated than other beers, to get closer to a cask beer. cheers, MikeMcG.