Is CAMRA Out of Touch with Modern Beer?
- The Hopper
- Jan 19
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 3
CAMRA saved British beer.
That’s not opinion. That’s a fact.
Back in the 1970's, British beer was in a sorry state. Lifeless keg beer was taking over, traditional cask ale was disappearing, and pubs were losing their identity. CAMRA stepped in, fought for real ale, protected traditional brewing methods, and helped save a massive chunk of British beer culture.
Without CAMRA, half the beers I’ve drunk or reviewed probably wouldn’t exist.
So yes, credit where it’s due.
But here’s the thing.
Saving beer and leading beer are two very different jobs.
In 2026, beer culture looks very different. Most drinkers now discover beer through cans, taprooms, social media, modern lagers, hazy IPAs, pastry stouts, and alcohol free options. They’re not finding beer through the Good Beer Guide and a clipboard. Modern brewing is about quality, creativity, and balance. Not just how the beer is dispensed into a glass by a bloke called Norman.
Because of that shift, I decided to ask a simple question, in order to put a video together with my findings...
Is CAMRA still keeping up with modern beer culture, or is it stuck in the past?
I didn’t just ask one group of people either.
I sent this question to craft beer drinkers, cask drinkers, pubs, breweries, and people across social media. I also contacted CAMRA directly and offered them the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
CAMRA declined to comment for the video, although they did ask to see the final version once it’s live, which is fair enough. I didn't actually expect a reply, so it was actually nice to be wrong on that front.
What really stood out, though, was the reaction from the wider beer community.
Plenty of people were polite.
Some disagreed respectfully.
Some agreed thoughtfully.
And many were happy to actually talk about beer.
But the most aggressive and forceful responses didn’t come from modern beer fans.
They came from hardcore cask loyalists.
Instead of debate, there was hostility.
Instead of discussion, there was outrage.
Instead of talking about beer, there was a lot of anger.
One person even had a go at me for using AI to help create an image for the video thumbnail. Not the message. Not the facts. Not the argument. The technology.
And that kind of sums the whole thing up.
Beer evolves.
Technology evolves.
People evolve.
Or at least, some of us do. Others just revolve, stuck in a never ending timewarp.
This upcoming video isn’t a hit job on CAMRA. It gives credit where it’s due, but it also looks honestly at where parts of the culture clash with modern brewing.
It includes perspectives from independent brewers, including The Coach Brewing Co, as well as anonymous voices from within the industry brewing or serving both cask and keg.
And the video is now complete and live on my YouTube channel!
Hopper out!
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