Brewery takes aim at Doom Bar with provocative advert

Box Steam Brewery, based near Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, has placed an advert on a large hoarding in a field on the borders of Wiltshire, Bath and Bristol which signals its own local attributes.

The advert shows a knight astride the white horse of Westbury with the words ‘Born and bred in Wiltshire. Not Cornwall.’

Box Steam brewery is a local family owned and independent brewery, which also uses Warminster malts to highlight the regional character of its beers.

It decided to make the advert to highlight the large growth of Cornish brewer Sharp’s, - which was purchased by Molson Coors in 2011 - and its flagship brew Doom Bar that has since gone on to become a nationally recognised brand.

Ale

Molson Coors ploughed millions into the Rock-based brewery near Padstow with Doom Bar consistently being one of the UK’s fastest growing and most successful cask ale brands​.

Managing director of Box Steam, Andy Roberts, said: “We supply cask and bottled beers to pubs, bars, restaurants and shops across Wiltshire. But we keep coming up against Doombar and other national beer brands. We work hard to sell our award-winning Tunnel Vision and other ales. I’m sure it’s the same for other small brewers.”

Roberts also referenced last year’s revelation that bottled Doom Bar was brewed in Burton-on-Trent rather than Cornwall​ – despite the ‘Rock Cornwall’ branding on the product.

Cornish

“It’s frustrating enough that Doombar is a ‘Cornish’ beer. But it’s (bottled beer) not even brewed in Cornwall. It’s brewed under licence in Burton-on-Trent, and Sharp’s is owned by Molson Coors, an international corporation.”

Box Steam also working with local pubs across Wiltshire, Bath and Bristol to offer beer fans the chance to try their real ale, Tunnel Vision, as an alternative to Doombar.

Roberts said: “We thought it was time to make our voice heard and fight our corner on behalf of smaller brewers. This is our patch and we’re proud to lead the charge for Wiltshire beer.”

Sharp's

James Nicholls, senior brand manager at Sharp’s Brewery, said: “We are delighted that Doom Bar can stand alongside Tunnel Vision and Box Steam’s beers on the bars of Wiltshire and congratulate them on their recent award wins at the International Beer Challenge.”

“Much like Box Steam Brewery, we started Sharp’s as a small microbrewery here in Rock, Cornwall, back in 1994 and we never dreamt our beer would prove so popular that consumers and customers would choose it to become the No.1 cask and bottled ale in the country.  We’re super proud of what we have achieved, our Cornish roots, our Cornish home, our Cornish team and the support of Molson Coors which enables us to keep up with the extraordinary demand for our beer.”

“Cheers to great beer and to an ever growing and exciting beer market.”

“PS. We’d rather sit down for a beer than have a joust, that’s just our Cornish way.”