Doom Bar sales grow 22% – fastest growing cask ale in UK again

Doom Bar, the beer produced by Cornish brewer Sharp’s, saw volume sales grow 22% in 2011, making it the fastest growing cask ale in the UK for the third consecutive year.

It follows the acquisition by Molson Coors in February last year.

Doom Bar is now available in 6,000 outlets in the UK, making it the third largest cask beer in terms of volume in the UK. Sharp’s said it produced 117,517 barrels in 2011 compared to 81,199 barrels in 2010.

Molson Coors invested £5m in the brewery last year. It helped the company to “manage demand and sustain its outstanding growth and will include a new water treatment plant, additional fermentation vessels, an upgraded packaging area and new cellar storage”.

In addition to sales growth, employee numbers have grown by 18% year-on-year.

General Manager at Sharp’s Emma Bebbington said: “Last year was a real success for us. The sales growth of our core brands such as Doom Bar means we are able to invest back into the brewery and expand and improve our brewing operations. In turn we have been able to take on more employees which has had a really positive knock on effect for the local economy. We are determined to build on our recent successes and keep developing new, innovative products such as our new range of premium bottled beer, Connoisseurs Choice.”