Where Has All The Ale Gone?

[ROBCamra]

No problems around The Dale, all the ale houses have their normal number of ales on the bar.

However when I deal with Brewers Wholesale I now have a choice of 50 - 65 beers not the 100 - 120 I had before Covid.

[rpadam]

For those registered with Camra's Discourse forum, there is a self-explanatory thread entitled Catastrophe for real ale - Central London post-lockdown which has (as usual) drifted off topic, but this certainly appears to be a particular problem in the capital.

[sheffield hatter]

For those registered with Camra's Discourse forum, there is a self-explanatory thread entitled Catastrophe for real ale - Central London post-lockdown which has (as usual) drifted off topic, but this certainly appears to be a particular problem in the capital.

Thanks for linking to the thread - I really mean that. I noticed that a few posters came to a similar conclusion to mine (above) about the gradual reintroduction of real ales and the consequent emphasis on quality rather than choice.

What a surprise to see denigration of keg beer and the whole revitalisation argument gone over yet again in a thread with the title Catastrophe for real ale - Central London post-lockdown. I suppose moderating such a thread would be a full time job, but they did at least siphon off a putative discussion about the allocation of (yawn!) membership numbers.

[Pangolin]

Out in more leafy parts where more people are working from home things do not seem quite as bad. Initially there was a surfeit of Doom Bar only pubs but that seems to have eased with some decent beers in most pubs, although I suspect overall volumes are still down so a pub with 3 ales may only have 2 on etc. Having said that there is still the general lack of HGV drivers apparently hitting distribution and industrial unrest at GXO Logistics who claim to ship up to 40% of UK beer from Heineken and others, so deliveries might be a problem.

[Bucking Fastard]

My view is that this is a London issue and COVID has accelerated a trend that was already evident beforehand..............much less real ale availability in general in the capital..

Maybe not surprising given the advantages that keg holds

Higher price point
Longer shelf life
Less cellaring skill needed to produce a consistent,good product.
Easier for inexperienced bar staff to dispence.
Hand pump image of old man's drink among younger drinkers.

The sight of 5 handpumps but just a single clipped with Doom Bar or London Pride does also drive drinkers (and I am as guilty as anybody) into the keg options for something interesting which will only compound the lack of demand for real ale.A lot of publicans also view real ale as having to be low ABV to appeal to what they think the older drinker wants,further reducing choice.

This reduction in real ale options is also impacting some former shining beacons on the London real ale scene,with the Euston Tap and Cask Pimlico both light on recent trips.

However the search will go on for London pubs serving excellent real ale.That task is becoming more tricky.