POWELL RIVER, BC- The local branch of CAMRA BC (Campaign for Real Ale Society) is hosting their annual general meeting tomorrow.
Vice-President of CAMRA Powell River, Romeo Styles, said the group advocates for the consumer well-being of those who enjoy craft beer.
“Basically, we want all bars and pubs to have proper serving sizes on their menus, the ABV, which is the alcohol percentage and what type of pour they’re doing,” he said.
“For example, a 16-ounce pour, instead of calling it a pint, which is 20 ounces, a lot of places, they aren’t telling their customers what they’re getting.”
Ex-CAMRA Vancouver president, Paddy Treavor, moved to Powell River a few years ago and, impressed with the love of craft beer in the region, decided to form a local CAMRA branch.
He developed the local branch alongside fellow craft lovers, Bernie and Debbie Hodges.
Styles said at their AGM, they will discuss events they hosted last year, such as Beer Fest, and future plans, like where their funds will be allocated to non-profits this year.
“Last year, we gave $2500 to the Powell River Cycling Association to build trails and that sort of thing, we gave $1000 to Inclusion Powell River,” he explained.
“Plus, we’ve allocated a bunch of our funds to start up one of our initiatives in Powell River.”
Styles said they hope to have liquor service staff become Level One Cicerone, which is essentially the equivalent of what a Sommelier is to wine.
“That’s our biggest push for this next year, to see how many restaurants and bars can get service staff to be more educated about craft beer (in order) to be able to serve their clientele better,” he said.
Currently, Townsite Brewing is the only craft brewery in Powell River. The business has just renovated their tasting lounge.
Styles said going forward, there may be some more brew pubs opening up in Powell River, so residents can have more options when it comes to enjoying a refreshing beverage.
CAMRA Powell River’s AGM takes place at the Seasider Bistro on Tuesday, Feb. 20th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
More details about the group, including membership, can be found through their website.
