BrewDog: Keg is the future

The boss of controversial Scottish brewer BrewDog has hit out at cask ale for failing to attract younger drinkers - declaring keg ale the "future" of craft beer.

James Watt, BrewDog's co-founder and managing director, made the comments as the company opened its first bar, BrewDog Aberdeen - which sells 12 draft beers exclusively from kegs.

"I don't think cask is an appealing way to get people into beer," said Watt. "Cask is more sleepy, stuffy, traditional and just has this kind of stigma attached to it which isn't going to get young people excited.

"It's all CAMRA, beards, sandals, beer bellies, hanging out at train stations at the weekend. We think keg beers could be the future of craft beers in the UK."

Watt also argued keg better suits the beer styles the company produces. Keg beer is generally pasteurised and forced out of the barrel with gas, whereas cask beer is unpasteurised, unfiltered and is served with without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure.

But Pete Brown, author of the The Cask Report - Britain's National Drink, 2010-201, argued Watt's comments on casks;' failure to attract young drinkers were wrong.

The report found the number of 18-24 year old cask drinkers grew by 17 per cent in the last 12 months and less than six per cent of those asked cited cask's old-man image as being the reason for not drinking cask.

"I'm thrilled that BrewDog are pushing on with their keg campaign," said Brown. "The developments in keg are very exciting and have huge potential. But it's a shame they can't do it without making cask the enemy.

"The cask report proves beyond doubt that cask has lost its negative image and I think there is room for both."