Mine's a Pint - Autumn 2019

to a consumer pressure group – the Campaign
for the Revitalisation of Ale – being formed in
1971.
It was the additional, artificial, carbonation of
the latter, in particular, using cylinders of CO 2
to propel the keg beers and lagers to the bar
that invariably caused excessive ‘fizz’ which
attracted their especial opprobrium. And, it
should not be forgotten that, just as the hot
summer of 1959 seemed to mark a turningpoint
in the establishment in the UK of keg beer
over cask, the long, hot summers of 1975 and,
particularly, 1976 did the same for ersatz lagers
over keg brews in public awareness!
The Campaign for Real Ale – as it soon became
once the cumbersome ‘Revitalisation of Ale’
acronym interpretation was dropped – had
undoubtedly provided more than just a catalyst
that aided an eventual volte-face by the ‘Big
Six’ brewing combines of the time as regards
cask beer brewing was concerned, particularly
whilst reliable cooling methodology for real
ale was finally being perfected. But almost
all UK-brewed lager, however, was to remain
inextricably wedded to kegging and canning
techniques well into the 21st century.
In October 1972, a German-themed beer festival
had taken place at Alexandra Palace, predating
the CAMRA-inspired Great British Beer
Festivals at the same venue later that decade. In
fact, a first-and-last jointly-held protest against
the lagers being promoted, involving both the
Society for the Preservation of Beers from the
Wood and the nascent CAMRA, was held to
coincide with the event. Reputedly, the barrelrolling
of real ale casks uphill formed part of
the demonstration – though, if full, probably
not for immediate consumption! The SPBW
was, and still is, a 1963 forerunner to CAMRA
though far less effective through missing the
main picture!
the 1960s onwards, as in Liverpool (Rigsby’s),
with Hull, Leeds and Sheffield spawning a
Hofbräuhaus each and, amongst those opened
in some of the capital’s suburbs (complementing
those extant in the city centre), there was even a
Löwenbräu Keller in Croydon.
A Bristol Bierkeller accompanied several in
Manchester, too, with an ‘Austrian’ biergarten
in Lytham St. Annes from the summer of
1966, and, around 4-5 years later, Blackpool
gained three outlets, the Talbot Bierkeller, a
Hofbräuhaus and, opposite the Central Pier,
a Jager Keller. Then, the vast Harte & Garter
Hotel, Windsor, installed its own bierkeller,
with Southend, Pwllheli in Wales and Peel on
the Isle of Man each gaining one in 1972, 1974
and 1977 respectively. By the end of the 1970s,
Butlins had created a staggering 25 amongst its
seaside holiday camps.
During the penultimate decade of the 20th
century, however, the bars had generally become
seedier, accompanying accoutrements such as
food, music, chasers and even the lager itself,
less authentic as the bigger players had begun
to dominate this lucrative market. The Talbot
and Jager outlets in Blackpool, for instance,
had actually been opened by Bass Charrington
and the Forte Hotel Group respectively.
Nonetheless, German-style beer festivals with
Bavarian oompah bands and cuisine continued
to be established subsequently in places such
as Norwich and Solihull, supplementing the
resurgence of semi-permanent bierkellers from
Mine’s A Pint
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