Roll out the barrels
As the nation's judge of cask ale, who better to take control of the category in Sell More, Save More than Cask Marque?
The accreditation scheme, which assesses the quality of cask in pubs up and down the country, is cask ale champion in Sell More, Save More this year - and is looking to help raise the standards of the category across the pubs in the project.
National account manager Annabel Smith recently completed her first visits to the pubs in Sell More, Save More this year. Here's what she had to say…
The Guide Dog, Southampton
When it comes to cask ale, the main issue for the Guide Dog and licensee Paul Barden is not to sell more, says Annabel - but to save more.
The pub already has plenty of custom for its size, but Paul needs to cut out some of the wastage of his beers, and to think more carefully about the GPs on the products he is buying in. "Some of the beers are very lively and, as Paul put it, 'over conditioned' - they are being over-dispensed and this is accumulating a lot of drip tray wastage," she says.
Key recommendations
• Think again about promotions - he has always has a beer on promotion on a Friday night. But why do this on a Friday, which is a busy night anyway? Why not run price promotions on quiet nights?
• Barrels and firkins - when beers are on promotion, Paul often goes through two firkins on a Friday at the promotion price. Why not change to an 18-gallon barrel?
• Training - Paul needs to train other members of staff on changing casks - and eliminate throwing away a gallon of beer because he is not around the next day to change the cask when it finishes. This is needless wastage.
• Keg line cleaning - frequency is every 14 days. This can cause unnecessary wastage due to yeast build-up in the lines, causing the beer to fob.
• Think again about stocking the slow-selling John Smith's Extra Smooth - if an 11-gallon keg is lasting 14 days there will be major fobbing problems in the latter seven days. Kegs should be sold through within five days.
• Ventilation - the cellar should be aired for 10 minutes each day to eliminate mould growth.
• Communication - blackboards over the bar should be used to advertise current and forthcoming beers. And why not have a beer book for customers to request favourite brands?
The Rose & Crown, Faversham, Kent
Licensee Tim Robinson is running a tight ship here, says Annabel, with the strong food operation clearly a major driver of the business.
But the pub has applied for Cask Marque accreditation before, and has failed on temperature, with the lack of cooling from the cellar to the bar identified as the main reason why.
"The pub also needs to keep an eye on range," says Annabel. "As this is a destination pub and most people drive to the location, anything over five per cent ABV will not sell."
Nevertheless, the Rose & Crown is serious about its ales, with cask accounting for 60 per cent of beer sales.
Key recommendations
• Pump clips - even if there is no beer being fed to the pump, it should always have a pump clip on.
• Lagging and temperature control - heat pick-up in cask ale lines can be eliminated by lagging, and the correct use of a recently fitted ale python temperature control unit.
• Beer and food matching - with such strong food sales, the pub should be making more of the opportunity.
• Look at the range - the biggest customer base locally clearly prefers lighter-coloured ales, and Tim should stock one of these permanently.
The Priory Arms, Stockwell, South London
Annabel has few recommendations for the Priory Arms and licensee Graham Bulpett. In fact, her chief recommendation was that it should be nominated for a Beautiful Beer Platinum Award!
She was full of praise for the pub, which she described as "doing all the right things", including offering great staff training, with every bar worker trained up in beer handling.
"The induction programme is such that Graham will not let a new member of staff serve customers until they have received a number of hours' training," says Annabel.
A 65 per cent GP on cask ales suggests very little wastage, even though the pub is turning over a huge amount of cask ale every week - around 25 nine-gallon firkins. Annabel also highlights the unusual beer blackboards, which are well written and presented and, in an unusual twist, include the best before date and 'gyle' numbers (a batch number identifying when an ale was brewed) of all the beers.
The Cross Keys, Henley, Ipswich
Ales are served in a curious fashion at the Cross Keys - direct from casks stored in the cellar.
Annabel raises some concern that cask ale sales could be stronger if the beer were being poured in front of customers rather than having them wonder where it is coming from, as well as the fact that a member of staff is constantly being lost to the cellar to pour beer.
However, the pub, run by licensee Mark White, gets top marks for merchandising in the bar area.
"The beer list is featured on slatted blackboards in the main bar, and this is very well merchandised," says Annabel. "ABV, origin and colour of the beer is detailed, as well as a short taste description."
Key recommendations
• Pump clips - again, all handpulls should be badged up, even if there is no beer being fed to the pump.
• Make more of blackboards - they need to be used more effectively in the areas of the pub where the slatted ale board is not visible, especially in the restaurant.
