Yankee Brew News Archive

New England Brewers To Boost Cask Ale Representation at GBBF

Originally Published: 08/96

By: Kerry J Byrne

American beers will be in abundance at the Great British Beer Festival this year, said Jonathan Tuttle, New England's own representative to Great Britain's Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Tuttle is Bar Three manager for CAMRA, which means he represents the organization and culls worthy beers from every part of the planet outside of the United Kingdom and continental Europe. The Shutesbury, Massachusetts resident said he's also the first non-British person to serve as a bar manager for CAMRA.

The GBBF is open to the general public August 6-10 and will be held in the Grand Hall of Kensington Olympia. It is sponsored by CAMRA, a consumer watch dog organization attempting to maintain Great Britain's 'real ale' legacy in the face of heavy competition from kegged beer and lager brewers.

CAMRA defines 'real ale' as naturally carbonated, unfiltered, unpasteurized ale served by traditional method, such as hand pump, from a cask without the use of gas. "By far the largest non-European representative at the Great British Beer Festival this year will be the United States," said Tuttle.

Thanks to Tuttle's work, the following New England brewers will be sending cask ales to the GBBF: Atlantic Coast Brewing Company (India Pale Ale); Back Bay Brewing Company (Golden IPA); Catamount Brewing Company (American Wheat); Commonwealth Brewing Company (English Mild); Emerald Isle Brew Works (IPA); McNeill's Brewery (Porter); and Wachusett Brewing Co. (IPA).

Tuttle said the Boston Beer Company may be sending as many as three cask ales from its Jamaica Plain brewery : Boston Ale, Cherry Wheat and an as-of-yet undetermined third. He estimates there will be about 15 to 20 America cask ales at the GBBF, up from only 10 last year.

It was only in 1993 when the Catamount and Mass. Bay brewing companies were the first New England brewers to send beer--bottles only--to the festival, said Tuttle. Now, several New England brewers will send bottled beers to this year's GBBF: Berkshire Brewing Company (Drayman's Porter); Catamount (Porter); Clamtown Brewing Company (Ginger Honey Ale); Magic Hat Brewing Company (#9); Mill City

(Chocolate Raspberry Porter); Otter Creek Brewing (Copper Ale); Ould Newbury Brewing Company (Yankee Ale); and The Shipyard (Export Ale).

At press time Tuttle said he was still hoping to get last year's seasonal ale from New England Brewing Company. The Drayman's Porter and Clamtown Ginger Honey Ale will be an experiment, said Tuttle, because they are being sent in growlers. "We've never shipped growlers over there before," he said. "They will

be out of our control for a couple of weeks."

Tuttle said the increasing number of American beers at the GBBF has changed the way the British think about beer in the colonies. "The first year the reaction was, 'Oh, I didn't know you people knew how to make good beer,' or 'Wow, this is exciting,' - those surprised, delighted reactions," said Tuttle. "Now people have come to expect it. There are more American beers and more American breweries represented than ever before. The U.S. is the only non-European nation with more than one beer at the festival."

Pull quote:

The increasing number of American beers at the GBBF has changed the way the British think about beer in the colonies.