It may seen to be a contradiction in terms, but yes, you can have Real Ale in a bottle, writes Jeff Evans.

Real Ale, according to the CAMRA agreed definition in the Oxford English Dictionary is "beer which has been brewed and stored in the traditional way and which has undergone a secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed."

The definition is usually applied to draught Real Ales, beers which contain yeast and continue to mature in the cask at the pub (cask-conditioned beers), but it equally applies to bottled beers which contain yeast and mature in the bottle (bottle-conditioned beers).

Such beers need to be poured carefully to avoid the yeast sediment dropping into the glass, but the yeast won't do you any harm even if it does. The net result is a beer that tastes fresher, is more complex and has a much lighter texture than ordinary pastuerised and filtered bottled beers.

When CAMRA began life in 1971, there were only five bottle-conditioned beers in regular production: Worthington White Shield, Guinness Original, Gale's Prize Old Ale, Thomas Hardy's Ale and Courage Imperial Russian Stout. Guinness, sadly, has now been sacrificed to the pastueriser, and Imperial Stout seems to be on its deathbed, but the other three are still going strong.

What's more, they have now been joined by around 300 other bottle-conditioned beers from all over the country.

The last few years has seen a remarkable revival in bottled Real Ale, thanks mostly to the imagination of Britain's smaller breweries and the opportunities provided by High Street retailers.

The choice of bottle-conditioned beers is now staggering, and CAMRA BOOKS has the whole field covered in the new edition of the award-winning Good Bottled Beer Guide.

Now in a handy, pocket-hardback format, the book profiles all bottle-conditioned beers currently available in the UK, and includes features on storing, serving and tasting bottled beers, plus a survey of easy-to-find bottled Real Ales from overseas.

Complied by Jeff Evans, eight-times Editor of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, the Good Bottled Beer Guide is priced at £8.99 (£7.99 to CAMRA members) and is available from good bookshops or direct (and post-free) from CAMRA at 230 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, ALl 4LW; Tel (01727) 867201 (credit card orders accepted).