This is why CAMRA has linked up with 12 other beer organisations across Europe to form the European Beer Consumer Union (EBCU) which champions for better labelling, greater diversity of beer and lower prices across Europe.
CAMRA is particularly concerned with the current EU Directive on Excise Duty for Alcohol, which has huge implications on how the Government can levy tax on alcohol products here in the UK.
The current Directive has not been updated since 1992 and is now under consultation by the EU Commission. While CAMRA agrees with the principles of the Directive, we believe it is out of date and must be revised to give Member States greater flexibility to support the drinks industry in their own countries.
Our keys asks in a revised Directive are as follows:
- To allow Member States the opportunity to apply a lower duty rate for real ale that is sold in pubs versus that which is sold in supermarkets to help shift consumption back into pubs rather than in people’s homes.
- To write into a new Directive the current duty exemption for small cider producers in the UK making less than 70 hectolitres (HL) of cider a year, and to introduce a sliding scale of duty relief for cider producers who make more than 70 HL of cider.
- To allow Member States to cut duty on low-strength real ale up to 3.5% ABV, rather than the current threshold of 2.8% ABV
Right onto the beer! Last Rites made a very long awaited return last month, and the 10 casks we filled were instantly snapped up, although when they will appear on the bar is anybody’s guess (but I would bet some will be around Christmas!). The rest of the brew has been put into (evil) kegs and some more 750ml sharing bottles. Look out for these in Beer Central, Dev Cat, Dram Shop, Hop Hideout, Rising Sun, Turners, Starmore Boss and Walkley Beer Co.
We have been very busy hosting foreign brewers over the last couple of months, and the Hop Smash should be appearing on the bar already which is our 7.4% American IPA with freshly squeezed Grapefruit juice and zest. This beast of a brew was brewed with Bret Kuhnhenn from Kuhnhenn Brewing Company from Michigan. Look out for some bottles of this one as well!
Brand new as well is ‘Sipper’ a Session IPA (or SIPA if you will) and this combines six glorious hops for a refreshing citrus punch! Very easy drinking beer at 3.7%. The pump clip is the first in a new series of ‘Beer Heads’ by the very talented Carl Flint.
After the phenomenal reaction to Laura’s ‘Lady Ra Ra’, we have another staff brewster with her Signature beer, Liz, our GM down at the Dev Cat, brewed her nod to our cousins over the pond with ‘Red, Wit and Blue’, a 4.6% Red Rye Wheat beer with American hops.
There is another Lost Treasure series beer released this month too with ‘Aztec Gold’, a 4.1% single hopped pale beer with Azacca hops from the US. Expect plenty of citrus and tropical fruit flavours bursting through.
As mentioned earlier, we are supporting Seven Hills WI at SunFest, and the annual SunFest special beer will be a 4.1% Lemongrass and Earl Grey Pale Ale. 10p from every pint will be donated by the brewery to the WI and in turn to Light Sheffield. As we go to print, the name is still TBC!
There will be a new birthday beer too, look out for ‘Full Moon Lager’ our twist on our flagship beer Moonshine. We’ve been told Moonshine has converted many a lager drinker over the last twenty years, so we thought we’d pay homage to that!
Cheers and beers! Robin – Abbeydale Brewery 
![TMB18 Forked Tongue [6634987]](https://sheffield.camra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/TMB18-Forked-Tongue-6634987-300x400.jpg)
The Lost Steel Industry Mojito Sour test batch was an unqualified success, and the sourness so extreme the guys sent a sample to be tested at the Thornbridge lab. The first test revealed a pH of 3.45, and the second revealed a score of ‘sour as ****’ from Dom. A full-length brew has now taken place on Lost Industry’s big kit, so look out for it over the summer! 
The landlady of the Miners Arms, Lauren White, despite being fairly young has a great pedigree of pub experience behind her having held management roles previously at the Tickled Trout at Barlow and Travellers Rest in Apperknowle – both very good pubs. The Miners is the first pub of her own and along with the team working there with her have taken on an already good pub and taken it to even better levels.
The Miners is a cosy country community pub with three distinct areas – an area containing a pool table, an area with Sky Sports TV and a quieter lounge area – plus a beer garden backing onto the village cricket pitch and boasting views across the valley.
A range of real ales are available at reasonable prices with the choice often surprisingly adventurous for a country pub. A huge range of ciders are also available and these are listed on the blackboard above the bar.
The pub attracts a cross section of locals, dog walkers, ramblers plus some who make the effort to visit the pub because of its good reputation, no food is served other than crisps, pork pies etc.
The Miners also saw huge numbers flock to the pub recently when it took part in the annual Three Valleys Beer Festival which saw the pub host an outside real ale bar, outside cider bar, burger stall and live music! On festival day a regular free bus service is laid on.
There is a bus stop right outside the pub served by TM Travel route 14 (Dronfield to Chesterfield), however the service is quite limited – check www.tmtravel.co.uk for timetables.
The certificate presentation evening is planned to take place at the Miners on Friday 29th July with an 8pm start and all are welcome.
The other East Midlands county winners now being judged with the Miners for the regional crown…
DERBYSHIRE SOUTH POTY 2016 – The Old Oak, Horsley Woodhouse. (Amber Valley Branch)
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE POTY 2016 – Beer Headz, Retford. (North Notts Branch)
LINCOLNSHIRE POTY 2016 – White Hart, Ludford. (Louth Branch)
LEICESTERSHIRE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE & RUTLAND POTY 2016 – Coach and Horses, Wellingborough. (Northampton Branch) 
A premium experience is offered with what is basically an industrial unit made quite funky, both the beers and the food are quality and the way the beer is served sees a lot of attention to detail with the customer offered a choice of four measures and a choice of glass style to ensure that the flavour and aroma of beer can be enjoyed to the maximum regardless of beer style.
If you want to get even more serious about tasting your beer, professional ‘Beer Academy’ tasting training courses are hosted there every few weeks.
Sentinel beers are available on both cask and keg plus there will be some beers on tap that are piped directly from the conditioning tanks.
The bar is open every day except Monday, from 11am until 11pm (midnight Friday and Saturday) and is located on Shoreham Street, between BBC Radio Sheffield and the inner ring road, a short walk from the Rutland Arms, Royal Standard or railway station.
See www.sentinelbrewing.co. for more details.