The London Drinker Beer and Cider Festival, nr King's Cross

Most people who have shared a drink with me will know that I have an ambivalent attitude towards CAMRA, something that inhabits a bizarre psychic territory somewhere between a classic love/hate relationship and a blatant case of biting the hand that feeds. Frequently deriding those who help enable you to obtain something you desire – a quality pint - is contradictory at best and a bit mean, not to mention arrogant, at worst.  Perhaps it’s the fact that the real ale ultras are so opposed to keg beer, or maybe it’s just that my frequently sozzled mind needs on-going sources of light-hearted amusement. Much like Hackney’s hipster contingent (if they’re so offensive, why exactly did I move to East London again?), the CAMRA crew are a good bunch to poke fun at, especially when you moonlight as a bartender at a reputable pub specialising in cask beer. 

But whatever easy jokes and bold statements I make at their expense need always be mitigated by two admissions. Firstly, that they a thing or two about good beer, a beverage I am quite partial to. I have never been served a dud pint at a CAMRA endorsed or frequented establishment and I don’t believe I will anytime soon. And B, that it is entirely likely my beer belly will have one of their membership cards or t-shirts glued to in the next twenty years. A third indisputable statement is that they put on bloody good drinking events. 

The Great British Beer Festival is one of the highlights of any beer enthusiasts’ calendar, whatever stance they take on the Great Carbonation Debate. The selection of rare American bottles alone is enough to keep me going back year in, year out. Now, I don’t know whether the London Drinker Beer & Cider Festival is a long-standing occurrence or a new invention and frankly I don’t care. But what must be said is that it’s as comprehensive a selection of top-quality ales as the capital is likely to see until SW5 in August and a must visit for all crusaders of the pint.

Granted, when CAMRA members congregate in such large numbers, the atmosphere often makes me wish I was locked inside an abattoir with a mentally unstable, pissed up pig farmer. And the venue itself, like the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, isn’t exactly character personified. In fact, if Earl’s Court resembles an abandoned sweatshop, then the Camden Centre is somewhere between a dilapidated masonic lodge and a slightly grand AA venue. But the epic selection of beer enables me to happily relax in this otherwise unremarkable environment.

What beers are those exactly? Well, on this occasion, I enjoyed three ales that were each as perfectly kept and lovingly made as each other. I got most excited about Moncada, a relatively new West London craft brewery who haven’t quite exploded on to the market like Redemption yet but offered a taste of what’s to come in the form of their Notting Hill Amber. And what a taste it was, the beautiful spicy hops leading on to a classic bitter finish by way of quiet cedar flavours. It’s the sort of beer I think would translate perfectly to the keg realm but defies my various Yankee biases by tasting just perfect as it comes. I am seriously looking forward to witnessing, and consuming, Moncada’s future endeavours.

Next up was Brodie’s Brainwave, perhaps a safe choice but a delicious one nonetheless. Hoppy and pungent, it was an easy drinking ale with slightly sharp fruity notes that managed a great depth of flavour for its low ABV. I finished with Elland’s Kama Citra, which was similar to the Brainwave stylistically but offered even bolder flavours. Brewed with Kiwi Citra hops, it was a pale bitter with a full citrus flavour that lingered and lingered like kebab house sauces on clothing, except in a good way - a more than admirable attempt to satisfy the popular craving for all things New World and hoppy. In fact, the wide selection of quality hop-driven brews was quite noticeable, so good on you CAMRA for making an effort to stock what people want to drink rather than just twenty Best Bitters and half a dozen Milds. Perhaps the earth isn’t flat after all?

I’m a complete sucker for beer festivals, normally falling for everything from the novelty chilli-infused brews to the t-shirts and other useless memorabilia. One thing that must be admitted is that CAMRA throw a hell of a beer bash, so as I sit here typing this up down the road from their latest brilliant boozy gathering, pint of commercial lager at my side in a bog standard Fullers pub, I am fully aware of the hypocrisy of both my drinking habits and my opinion of CAMRA. 

Like most organisations, whether businesses or interest-based groups, there’s a fair bit that could be improved, but this is a case where it’s prudent to focus on the positives. The fact is, I probably owe a great debt to the slightly feral looking middle age men I so often lampoon. It’s not implausible to think that the present craft beer revolution Britain and London in particular is enjoying would not have happened without the groundwork they established many years ago. It's also increasingly difficult to think that they aren't trying to modernise, at least a bit. So I’ll say it once and then inevitably fall back on my tired mockery soon enough, but thank you CAMRA. We both like a good pint and, really, that’s all that matters.