Just to underline the recent number of posts about support for lager as a style (rather than a term of abuse) Larry Nelson, the editor of Brewers’ Guardian gave me a nudge that they are running a news story in the September issue about an organisation called Lagers of the British Isles (LOBI).

Headed by Mike Knight, sales manager of Freedom Brewery, one of a handful of micros that exclusively brew lagers, LOBI is a producer’s organisation rather than a consumer movement.

LOBI’s initial roll numbers just six brewers; its mission statement calls on members to brew unpasteurised lager with a minimum of six weeks maturation. It also wants members to use “honest ingredients” – specifically prohibiting the additions of rice or maize in the grist.

But, importantly, the organisation sees itself as championing “British” lager. Knight explains, “I think it’s still a perception over here that lager has to come from Germany or the Czech Republic or even America. If you set up a brewery over here you do ale, that’s the conventional wisdom. Ale equals British; lager equals German or Czech.”

There’s already a website at www.lobi.org.uk with a only a limited amount of information so far, but it looks like an encouraging development.