CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE

• Supermarket Beer Prices
• Hunts Cider
• Hunts Food & Drink Festival

American Budweiser group Anheuser Busch have been taken over In Bev, the Brazilian owned multi national brewer, in a $52 billion dollar deal.

In the UK, InBev have launched a lower strength version of Stella Artois at 4% alcohol by volume, following the success of their Becks Vier 4% brand, seen as a popular choice for those who prefer an easy-drinking lager.

Timothy Taylors brewery in Keighley has celebrated 150 years in the brewing business with parties for shareholders, directors and staff.

Enterprise Inns have denied that the beer tie is related to the difficulties being faced by some pubs. The 'Fair Pint' group wish to see an end to the beer tie for large pub groups. Enterprise licensee and Fair Pint group member Mike Bell has called for lower rents for struggling pubs and an end to pub groups forcing licensees to pay 'twice as much for their beer as it would cost if we could go directly to the brewery.' CAMRA has expressed concern over Fair Pint's bid to end the tie because of the likelihood of soaring rents if the tie were banned. But CAMRA supports Fair Pint's call for a government enquiry into the power of the large pub companies.

Carlsberg will now distribute Russia's best selling beer brand Baltika in the UK, along with Grimbergen and Mythos acquired in the joint takeover of Scottish and Newcastle by Carlsberg and Heineken.