CAMRA has commended retailers great and small in their unfailing support for stocking real ale in a bottle, and is to award three bottled beer retailers on Saturday October 11th at its annual awards lunch at Lord's Cricket Ground, London.
As part of its RAIB (Real Ale in a Bottle) Scheme, CAMRA welcomed entrants from all sectors of the retail industry in the hope of locating the forerunning stockists of bottle-conditioned real ale, as well as inviting those who have gone to considerable lengths to increase its profile within the industry. Entrants were judged on their range of products, their unique sales methods, value for money to the consumer, and the attitude of their staff in striving to promote bottle-conditioned real ale.
After a May deadline for Awards entrants, a team of dedicated CAMRA judges have been busy surveying the applications, and the team was impressed by the high standards and attention to detail of many retailers.
The winners of the three categories were -
- Large Retailer (more than 5 outlets) - Booths Supermarkets
- Small Retailer (less than 5 outlets) - The Offie, Leicester
- Mail Order/Online Retailer - The Real Ale Shop
Brett Laniosh, CAMRA's Promotions and Marketing Director, said- ‘It was great to view the lengths many outlets are going to in order to promote Britain's national drink. Whether it was through friendly customer service or an imaginative marketing scheme, every entrant showed a laudable amount of creativity and attention to detail.
Large Retailer: Booths, a small supermarket chain of twenty-six stores across four counties, was described by the judging committee as "the epitome of what a multi site retailer should be doing to promote real ale. A good range of real ales even in the smaller outlets. They even use local radio to promote beer tastings."
Small Retailer: The Offie, a Leicester based, multi-award winning outlet and advisor to the national media, was singled out for its unparalleled commitment to stocking rare brews. Judges reported how "The Offie may be small, but in terms of real ales offered, it is second to none. A wonderful grotto of bottled real ales featuring beers from all over the UK and beyond. The staff are welcoming and keen to offer advice and discuss the bottled real ale."
Finally, The Real Ale Shop, an extension of the Priory Farm in Wrentham, Suffolk, was hailed for its devotion to local produce, and its excellent mail order service. Judges praised the Shop for having a “great website that gets straight to the beer. It (the Shop) does a great job in promoting localism through its trailblazer beers featuring bottled real ales from Norfolk and Suffolk."
Laniosh continues- ‘Stocking bottle-conditioned real ale is something that truly appeals to the consumer. Research has shown how many people desire locally-sourced produce brewed using traditional methods, therefore we at CAMRA are delighted to recognize retailers who stock this sort of quality in their outlets.'
ENDS
Notes to editors -
Booths Central Office
Longridge Road
Ribbleton
Preston
PR2 5BX
01772 693 800
The Offie
142 Clarendon Park Road
Leicester
LE2 3AE
Tel: 01509 413970 (day) 0116 2701553 (evening) 07955 402187 (mobile)
The Real Ale Shop
Branthill Farm
Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
t: 01328 710810
www.therealaleshop.co.uk
CAMRA supports real ale in a bottle. This is the next best thing, and the bottled equivalent, to the draught real ales you can enjoy at the pub.
CAMRA's own logo, “CAMRA says this is real ale”, is used to clearly identify products that are the real thing: natural, living, bottle-conditioned beers. It is important to note that some cask-conditioned real ales do not undergo secondary fermentation once bottled. It is hoped this logo will be able to clearly identify real ale in a bottle.
Real ale in a bottle is unpasteurised and is not artificially carbonated. It is a natural live product which contains yeast for a slow secondary fermentation in the bottle. This process provides wonderful fresh flavours and a pleasant, natural effervescence.
For further information -
Jon Howard, CAMRA Press Officer, 01727 798443 or 07939 425471
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