BADRAG - What's That?

BADRAG is CAMRA's Bristol and District Rare Ales Group, which seeks to campaign for bar and cellar space to be given to styles of real ales that are rare to find on a bar, are still fermenting in either casks, cans or bottles, such as milds, stouts and porters, plus the even rarer old ales and barley wines. Often such ales are found only at Beer Festivals, where they sell very quickly.

The group was launched at the 2007 Bristol Beer Festival. We maintain a list of bars that support BADRAG by stocking our kind of ales. If you can't get out to the pub, try At Home with Our Kind of Beer for a take-away.

We run a Mild Ale Promotion Campaign, Mild Time, in November.

Support a Winning Team!

Despite it being rare to find them on the average bar, top awards go to BADRAG-style ales:

• At the Bristol Beer Festival 2019 the winning LocAle was New Bristol Brewery's Irish Cream Stout,
  • in 2018, it was Dawkins Foresters Black 4.8% (a smooth oat milk stout).
• In 2019, the local Pub of the Year was The Barley Mow in The Dings, Bristol, which often has a dark beer on the bar,
  • in 2018, it was Chums, a micropub in Redland, Bristol, which always has a dark beer on the bar.
• Overall CAMRA Champion Beer of Wales in 2016 was Tudor Black Rock (a 5.6% Porter),
  • runner-up was Boss Black (a 5% silky stout).
• In 2018, Champion Winter Ale of Britain was Green Jack Ripper (an 8.5% Barley Wine).
• In 2017, Champion Beer of Scotland was Loch Lomond Silkie Stout at 5%.
• In 2016, the Overall Champion Beer of Britain was 5% Bingham's Vanilla Stout.

BADRAG maintains a list of bars in the area that give space to our style of ale - 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!

Help 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) - we'll do the rest, including listing them on this website so that we may all support bars that sell Rare Ale Styles. Please tell us about your rare-ale sightings by email to BADRAG@camrabristol.org.uk and let us know the ale's name, type, ABV, 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.

More Information...

Look out for details of BADRAG events in the Branch Diary or in Pints West magazine, or ask the Branch Social Secretary to be put on the reminders list. CAMRA member or not you would be welcome to join our group activities. Drop us an email to BADRAG@camrabristol.org.uk.

For more information about Rare Ale Styles see www.camra.org.uk click on Campaigns and then Real Ale, Cider & Perry Campaigning.

Please feel free to print off and ask any licensee if you may display our 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!