After considering doing so for some time, I’ve joined CAMRA. or, rather, we’ve joined, since membership’s pretty cost effective in multiples. For a very long time, I’d considered the organisation to be something of a beery antichrist, mainly due to the association of real ale with isinglass or, until cosmetics began using the stuff, collagen.

But, in recent years, there’s been a sign of change. While still not exactly mainstream, more real ale brewers are producing unfined, or seaweed-fined, beer. So, I’ve had something of a change of heart. After all, if more vegetarians/vegans join, there’s surely greater opportunity to influence further change. The moral argument probably won’t succeed, but the question around polluting a natural product with fish bits might. After all, finings remove both taste and valuable nutrients.

An unexpected bonus of membership is the ample supply of vouchers.

Regrettably, CAMRA have a little more work to do in the quality department. I really don’t understand how such a large proportion of the UK population don’t have even a basic knowledge of the use of the apostrophe.