Tiny Rebel and CAMRA at impasse over KeyKeg
It is disappointing to read James Beeson’s article in The Morning Advertiser concerning how CAMRA has handled Tiny Rebel’s decision to use only KeyKeg on its brewery bar at this year’s Great British Beer Festival. CAMRA’s questioning of KeyKeg’s reliability seems unfounded because we have attended (and participated in) many beer festivals throughout the UK, Europe and the rest of the world at which KeyKeg is the predominant method of dispense. KeyKeg appears no more or no less unreliable than any other dispensing system.
Even many other CAMRA beer festivals have a dedicated KeyKeg Bar that is extremely popular with visitors—and they all appear to “operate successfully”. Beer Festival visitors would presumably prefer to hear consistency from CAMRA if they intend to continue supporting its aims.
In light of CAMRA’s recent revitalisation vote, it is expected that CAMRA would now be more accepting and accommodating of its members’ breweries serving appropriate beers that meet its criteria, irrespective of the dispense method. The message CAMRA is sending appears less motivated by dispense reliability and more driven by an untimely flashback to less enlightened days.
Praise is due to Tiny Rebel, too, for its integrity in persisting with KeyKeg as an integral part of its growth, expansion and development. As one of the World’s most widely used and increasingly adopted beer dispense systems, KeyKeg can be assured Tiny Rebel is only one of an increasingly large number of breweries that recognises a KeyKeg’s reliability, practicality and environmental credentials as an important part of their business plan.
Let’s hope CAMRA continues to embrace the initiatives and innovations (like KeyKeg) that will ensure the future and longevity of a beer and cider movement it has tirelessly campaigned to protect for over 40-years.