Has anyone heard about the micropub revolution?

Generally yes, but my local has hand pumps even for Fosters, Carling & John Smith's

 

Jay - read this from CAMRA

"What is real ale?

Real Ales In the early 1970s CAMRA coined the term 'real ale' to make it easy for people to differentiate between the bland processed beers being pushed by the big brewers and the traditional beers whose very existence was under threat.

Many pubs and brewers use the term to describe their beers, but, just to keep you confused, they are also called cask beers, cask-conditioned ales or even real beer! In the pub the huge majority of real ales are served using traditional hand-pulls, rather than through modern fonts, but there are some exceptions to this, so if in any doubt, just ask. Real ales may also be served direct from the cask, often called gravity dispense."

To me , you either like a particular beer or you don't. Sam Smiths for instance still brew their beers in stone troughs and not stainless silo's like major brewers. Based on the above definition, Sams could be described as "real ale" although in many establishments it is pulled electrically or through free flow which is gas assisted.

 

no lager hmmmm

there are some very interesting brews around the world which would be looked upon as lager, not the crap you get on a supermarket shelf or the plastic pubs of today. Also what about ciders...some real demonic stuff in the west country. I see the words REAL ALE too by the way, but there are many "brews" out there that are very old and traditional too, but not ALE... also what about stouts, Milds and porter.

 

Re: no lager hmmmm

We have loads of micro brewerys round this part of the world.
My favorites are the Flying Dog ones and Shock topp which produce some weird combos that taste very good.
Most flying dogs are between 5 -11% abv whilst the shock topps around 6%

 

Are you sure?

 

I think HDM in Huddersfield would be classed a micro pub

 

No, having been in yesterday I must have been having a blond moment! They are electric pumps but are free flow rather than half pint measures.

 

That's what I thought! Thats not the same as what is meant by a hand pump.
You are meaning the ones where they just drop the tap handle, like this, that still operates an electric pump system.

 

they do RUIN pubs here in the UK

they call them Harvesters/BeefEaters now.