BADRAG is the CAMRA  “Bristol and District Rare Ales Group” or “BADRAG” for short, launched at the 2007 Bristol Beer Festival. This group seeks to campaign for bar and cellar space to be given to Rare Styles of Real Ales, that are still fermenting in either casks or bottles, such as Stouts, Porters, Mild Ales, Old Ales, Barley Wines and Low ABV Bitters. Often such ales are only found at Beer Festivals, and they sell very quickly.

Support a Winning Team!

Three top awards went recently to BADRAG style ales. CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain 2007 was Hobson’s Mild 3.2% abv from Shropshire, CAMRA Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008 was Wickwar Station Porter 6.1% abv from Gloucestershire and Supreme National Champion in the Society of Independent Brewers 2008 National Beer Competition was Severn Sins, a 5.2% abv dark stout from Severn Vale Brewing Company also in Gloucestershire. All Dark Ales – but still many licensees in this area will tell you Dark Ales don’t sell – BADRAG is trying to help them market such Rare Ales!

You Could Assist...

As a customer, please keep asking for Rare Styles of Ale to show licensees that there is a demand!

Also, you could assist with this vital campaign by telling your local branch of CAMRA if you have bought, brew for sale or sell Rare Ales in pubs and bars in “Bristol & District”, most of the old Avon County Area. This will provide vital information for “BADRAG” to make available on the branch web site www.camrabristol.org.uk so that we may all support bars that sell Rare Ale Styles. Please tell us about your “sightings of rare style ales” by emailing information to BADRAG@camrabristol.org.uk and let us know the name, type and abv of the ale, its brewer, where and when you “found” it, whether it is available as a regular ale or occasional ale and if occasional when it is available.

BADRAG particularly needs you to be our eyes and ears and let us know about Rare Styles of Ale before our campaign months - Milds before May, Low ABV Bitters before June, Stouts and Porters before March and Old Ales and Barley Wines before November.

More Information...

Look out for details of BADRAG events in the Branch Events List or in news items, CAMRA member or not you would be welcome to join our group activities. For more information about Rare Ale Styles see http://www.camra.org.uk click on Campaigns and then Endangered Beer Styles.

Please feel free to print off and ask any licensee if you may display this poster in your favourite bars – tip: BADRAG suggests that you take some white or blue tac and offer to put the poster up yourself, licensees are busy people and they usually appreciate having one less job to do!