Beer Savers

These simple items (pictured left) are designed to stop cask beer spoiling, going off and turning to vinegar. For performing such a task they should be hailed as heros, but instead CAMRA have branded them as effectively "evil" as they were not used in the middle ages (where I presume all beer tasted like shit). CAMRA enforce their medieval beliefs on landlords by omitting them from their pub guide (confusingly called "The Good Beer Guide" which is edited by aging bolshevik Roger Protz) if they use them. For the publican in a remote area where trade is passing, or via advertising provided by this publication, not being listed is committing business suicide. These devices have unlimited potential, and their acceptance and use could see drinkers being offered the choice of many different ales available rather than the usual one or two bland choices which one normally comes across. The device on the left is a check valve and is sanctioned. It is used when an electric pump or gas is used top push the beer to the hand pump. It acts by stopping the beer being pushed any further, so the beer has to be pulled out of the hand pump - this stops the hand pump from leaking. The device on the right is a cask aspirator which allows a blanket of gas to enter the cask, but not under any pressure. It also contains a release valve which stops pressure building up with the cask - overall a nice bit of kit. The blanket of gas replaces air (air is roughly 78% Nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% of other gases) with an inert gas to eliminate oxygen. Oxygen is bad for beer and makes it go stale, although CAMRA would like you to believe otherwise.

From a technical point of view they can be used and still meet CAMRA's definition of real ale;

"Beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it us dispensed and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide"

So basically if you use a cask aspirator with nitrogen as a blanketing gas, you can still call your beer 'real ale' as only carbon dioxide is a no-no. So why do pubs not use them? Well they have a stigma in the industry and its not worth the trouble of being delisted from CAMRA publications. Also pubs renown for their real ale have the turnover and rarely see a cask go bad. But if other pubs which only have a marginal ale turnover used these devices we could realize the utopian world where every pub had 10 casks of well kept ale on. We the consumer are being denied this by the backward mentality of the self appointed guardian of beer - CAMRA. As a member of this organization I feel embarressed about such backward policies.

I sourced these from Barley Bottom Home Brewing Products after having a spot of trouble with another vendor. Much better service from these guys and I was happy to do business with them, they were also significantly cheaper as well!

What is everyone else's opinions on these devices? I certainly see no harm and I am all for seeing beer served in good condition everywhere.