Should CAMRA run a festival without beer?



Photo courtesy of National Association of Cider Makers

I was a bit bemused to find that the Greater Manchester branches of CAMRA have organised a Cider & Perry festival this weekend. No beer is on sale.

Funnily enough I read this while supping a glass of Odell IPA in the Port Street Beer House. CAMRA has set its stall out firmly against keg craft beer yet is organising a festival with no beer at all. Personally, I don’t much like cider in any form and don’t want to see CAMRA use its resources running a festival like this. I’ve said before that encouraging keg outlets to raise their game would benefit all discerning drinkers. Well that isn’t going to happen it seems, but now Manchester branches are actively encouraging punters to drink something that isn’t beer at all. I wonder how the local micros feel about that?