Let’s hear it for the beer! (From York Press)

Let’s hear it for the beer!

12:24pm Monday 18th February 2008 in News By Gavin Aitchison, gavin.aitchison@thepress.co.uk

BEER lovers and pub landlords are being urged to support local brewers, in a new campaign in York.

The city's branch of Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) will tomorrow launch its LocAle drive, calling on people to support regional beer companies, rather than the multinational giants.

The launch coincides with Camra's Community Pubs Week, which runs until Saturday.

York Camra member Karen Hannah said: "With such a wonderful selection of fantastic breweries producing such excellent beers in our region, the LocAle scheme gives an ideal opportunity for licensees and consumers alike to get their hands on a fine pint of Yorkshire ale".

The launch will take place at Brigantes, in Micklegate, and will be marked with a special beer called Yorkshire 25, brewed by Outlaw Brewery of Knaresborough.

A Camra spokesperson said: "With so many pubs these days selling only beers that are available nationally, the LocAle campaign sets out to inform pub owners and consumers of the benefits of drinking a local pint.

"Many of these national brews have no regional characteristics and identity; all too often, they taste bland and inoffensive to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. What's more they can certainly notch up the beer miles' as they are transported across the country.

"In Yorkshire, we are blessed with many craft and microbreweries, some of which have a long history. The Old Brewery at Tadcaster, home to Samuel Smith's, marks its 250th anniversary in 2008, whilst others, such as Leeds Brewery, have been going for only a few months."

To encourage pubs to stock and promote local beers, York Camra will offer publicity and accreditation to pubs which make a commitment to always sell at least one locally- brewed real ale. It must be a cask-conditioned real ale, as defined by Camra, and must come from a brewery which ideally is no more than about 25 miles from the pub. York Camra says more than 30 breweries are eligible.

City centre landlord Jim Hardie, of the Blue Bell pub in Fossgate, said: "I think this is a really good idea, to support local and independent breweries."

Kev Jones, of Brigantes, said: "Yorkshire people are probably the most proud in the country. That should be reflected in what people drink - we should be proud of York and proud of York beer."

He said many visitors to the city liked to sample local products, and it was good if pubs could offer a locally-produced ale.