For a company with only 85 tied outlets, Adnams punches well above its weight. This is, in large part, because it is one of a tiny group of local breweries with a reputation for excellent beer, even among those who know little about cask ale. It is a fine achievement for a company whose position on the North Sea coast, at Southwold in Suffolk, means that, as its chairman Simon Loftus says, half its catchment area for potential customers contains only cod, seaweed and crabs.
Today Adnams is in the middle of a complete makeover of all its brewery equipment, with new fermentation vessels installed and work on new mash tuns starting in September.
Andy Wood, the company's commercial director, is due to move up to managing director next year when the current MD, Jonathan Adnams, takes over as chairman from Loftus. Wood says a permanent restructuring in the cask-beer marketplace has taken place over the past few years. It is shifting, he says, from the domination of the 'legacy brands of the national brewers to 'brands with genuine demand, distinctive, quality products with real taste and flavour, developed by real investment in those brands.
One of the problems with the dominance in volume terms of the 'legacy brands in the cask-beer market, Wood says, is that because their makers, the national brewers, have had little interest in promoting them, the whole arena has been under-represented in marketing spend.
As the sales of 'quality brands such as Adnams' bitter, London Pride and Marston's Pedigree grow, their brewers have increased their spend on taking the cask-beer story to consumers, telling them why it is unique.
He also sees a growing realisation among operators and licensees that having a quality cask-ale offer has a halo effect on the whole pub, attracting a 'better sort of customer and raising the image and perception of the entire operation, even among non-cask-ale drinkers.
Wood cautions against having too many brands of cask ale on sale, as the customer can become confused without the right balance of known versus unknown brands, he says.
Wood believes the future will see a 'broader audience for cask beer, with the market recruiting people with a real interest in what they eat and drink. Innovation is important for the future of the sector, both in terms of marketing and product. The company has introduced its first new cask beer for five years, Adnams Explorer one of a number of new paler beers on the market brewed using American hops to give a citrussy flavour, and designed to be served cooler than traditional cask beer. It has been 'a wonderful addition to our range, Wood says, and while it is currently available only from March to September, Adnams is looking at making it a year-round beer.
In 10 years, Wood says, a growing discernment among drinkers in an increasingly mass-market world will mean a greater emphasis on quality and pubs concentrating on 'a solid, tight range of beers that have a real resonance for the consumer.