THE SOCIETY’S HISTORY
ORIGINS OF THE SOCIETY
It all began on the evening of Friday, 6th December, 1963 when seven disgruntled beer drinkers gathered in the Rising Sun in Epsom. Their concern was the growing decline in both quality and palatability of beer. This they felt was due to the increasing use of gas pressure dispense and the introduction of keg beers. They deplored the policies of the big brewers who, by forcing the sale of beer from ‘sealed dustbins’ were threatening the availability of traditional draught beer. The seven drinkers decided to form a society with the purpose of drawing attention to their plight – and so the SPBW was born.
THAT NAME
In 1963, wooden casks were still regarded as being synonymous with traditional draught beer in contrast to the sealed dustbins which contained the processed and artificially carbonated product. For this reason the name seemed ideal. In 1968, it was decided that SPBW’s main concern is the beer in the cask and that it is served as a quality product. Even though the use of metal casks had become prevalent by the 1970s, the original name has been retained for the sake of tradition. However, in recent years there has been something of a revival in the use of wood for maturing and dispensing beer. This can affect the taste of the beer. We support this trend and the traditional craft of the cooper.
EARLY YEARS
The SPBW may have started with a few beers and bold words but it was clearly involved in a cause dear to British hearts. By the end of the 1960s it had built up into a fairly large body with 30 – 40 branches and several thousand individual members. There was some low-key campaigning and some useful press publicity during this time, some resulting from the holding of mock funerals at pubs that had been blighted with dustbin beers.
THE SPBW TODAY
The SPBW recognises naturally-conditioned beer, drawn by gravity, electric pump and traditional handpump, but rejects the use of gas pressure dispense. Thus, our aims are similar to those of CAMRA, but because of the entirely voluntary set-up the emphasis is on activity within its autonomous Branches. This is mainly of a social nature, visits to breweries being particularly popular. The SPBW’s National Executive Committee maintains contact with breweries and other relevant bodies on issues of concern. It produces a quarterly magazine Pint in Hand and organises an annual ‘National Weekend’ which brings members together to areas of special beery interest.
AIMS OF THE SOCIETY
The aims of the Society are as follows:
(a) to stimulate the brewing and encourage the drinking of traditional draught beer, drawn direct from the cask by gravity, or by a hand pump, or by other methods approved by the National Executive Committee (this includes bottle conditioned beer).
(b) To lend support to those brewers who, by their policy, assist in the implementation of the Society’s aims.
(c) To discourage the brewing and sale of beer termed ‘draught’, but served otherwise than described above and to discourage its consumption.
(d) Although the Society does not specifically campaign for the use of wooden casks for beer dispense, it supports and encourages breweries and pubs that use them and coopers that produce them.
