CAMRA defends stance on BrewDog

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has refuted claims from BrewDog that it acted "unceremoniously" by cancelling the brewer's stand at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF).

The controversial brewer claims CAMRA became "difficult" after it paid the deposit and signed the contract. It said CAMRA agreed it could serve beer in kegs then back-tracked, insisting BrewDog serve cask beer.

CAMRA argues BrewDog was seven weeks late paying its final £5,500 bill and the brewer's plans to dispense beer in 30-litre containers presented a logistical problem. The festival, held at London's Earl's Court from 2 to 6 August, needs beer in large containers because of the high volume consumed.

The consumer organisation said there was no problem with BrewDog serving its beer in kegs, as it had assured them its ale meets the CAMRA requirements.

GBBF organiser Marc Holmes said: "BrewDog is seven weeks late paying its money. This is not anti-keg or anti-BrewDog. We said from the beginning that we wanted large containers. We did compromise and say we would take 50-litre kegs, but we know the festival doesn't work with smaller kegs."

He has invited the BrewDog team to the GBBF this year to show them how the event works operationally.

BrewDog founder James Watt said: "We agreed to work with CAMRA, put past differences behind us and try and introduce something new and exciting to GBBF.

"So we are extremely shocked that CAMRA unceremoniously cancelled our attendance and also by the manner in which it acted.

"We wanted to work with CAMRA and try to breathe new life into the GBBF to get more young people excited about great craft beer.

"CAMRA has once gain snubbed creativity and impinged [on] our passion.

"If it cared about real ale, it would move out of the '70s and encourage new breweries looking to revitalise the craft-beer scene."

Despite booking a GBBF stand, BrewDog recently called CAMRA events "stuffy, boring or misguided".