Campaign for Real Ale
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CAMRA (the CAMpaign for Real Ale) is an independent, voluntary, consumer organisation in the United Kingdom, with the main aim of promoting real ale and the traditional British pub. It is now the biggest single-issue consumer group in the UK.
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Founder Members
The organisation was founded in 1971 by a group of four drinkers, Graham Lees, Bill Mellor, Michael Hardman, and Jim Makin opposed to the growing industrialisation and homogenisation taking place within the British brewing industry. One of the early members is Good Beer Guide editor Roger Protz. Camra has over 75,000 members as of March 2005. Member benefits include a monthly newsletter "What's Brewing" and reduced price admission to CAMRA-organised beer festivals.
Details
The original name was the CAMpaign for the Revitalisation of Ale.
CAMRA's campaign aims include promoting small brewing and pub businesses, reforming licensing laws, reducing tax on beer, and stopping continued consolidation among local British brewers. It also makes an effort to promote less common varieties of beer and similar brewed beverages including stout, porter, mild, traditional cider and scrumpy, and perry.
CAMRA publishes the Good Beer Guide, an annually compiled directory of its recommended pubs and brewers. They also run the Great British Beer Festival, a yearly event held in London which presents a selection of cask ales.
CAMRA has established influence at national government level, including with English Heritage
Awards
CAMRA presents awards for beers and pubs, such as the National Pub of the Year in which approximately 4,000 active CAMRA members from 200 local branches vote for their favourite pub. The branch winners are entered into 16 regional competitions which are then visited by several individuals who select the ones they like best. The best known CAMRA award is the Champion Beer of Britain which is selected at the Great British Beer Festival.