More taprooms to open while and low and no set to flourish in 2022

The Manchester-based business has admitted it is excited to take on the challenges in the upcoming months and predicts businesses with a strong eco-friendly ethos will profit because customers want to be part of the journey towards better sustainability.

“Sales of booze free beer have rocketed over the past year and the sober movement is gaining momentum due to an increased focus on health,” said Beer Piper commercial manager Jeff Singer.

He said that after “figuring out the yeast conundrum and establishing the best temperature to cellar such beer at”, big players like Heineken and Stella Artois have announced plans to add alcohol-free beers on draught and many on-trade businesses are clamouring to get in on the act.

“This big move is good news,” Singer added. “The quality of low and no-alcohol beers has increased dramatically in recent years so we believe that these beers should be looked after in the cellar in the same way as their alcoholic counterparts.

“We expect to see more craft brewers moving into this arena, and more and more pubs introducing at least one alcohol-free action on the pumps when technology enables it. This will present a new challenge for the cellar and backroom, but it’s one that is crucial for long-term success.”

Increase in taprooms to continue

Beer Piper said before the pandemic struck, a Craft Beer report from the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) noted there had been an increase in independent brewery taprooms across the UK and the beer line cleaner foresees further increases as more craft beer brands tune into the opportunities offered through on-trade sales.

Singer said: “There is a huge appetite for locally produced craft beers and the brands and brewers in the city and wider region show huge amounts of innovation, collaboration and creativity. All of those things are great news for the industry and for punters who are eager to try new experiences.”

This also adds positively to a growing eco-awareness from UK consumers because drinking locally produced drinks means less transportation miles therefore reducing CO2 emissions.

Beer Piper added brands that embrace sustainability via methods such as reduced packaging, recyclability front of mind and solar-powered breweries will fare better in the minds of customers.

The recent UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, shone a spotlight on sustainability so moves by big business have inspired people to make changes for the better – building on the resolutions made at the start of the year, when a study by EON revealed 89% of Brits wanted to be more environmentally friendly in 2021.

Smart to be green

“With bars, hotels and restaurants all looking for ways to be more sustainable to meet their own corporate social responsibility goals as well as attracting more customers, managers and landlords are giving more head space to recycling, saving waste and opting for more eco-friendly products,” said Singer. “It’s a smart business move, too. At Beer Piper, we work closely with pub licensees and chain managers, and green issues are firmly on the agenda. Those who act responsibly towards the environment, in our opinion, will be the longer-term winners as customers take note of recycled products, clearly signposted green policies, the stocking of planet-friendly brands and the elimination of single-use plastic across the establishment.”

A need to turn around the fortunes of cask ale is also expected to take place after declines in sales because “a great pint of cask ale simply cannot be recreated outside of the pub or taproom”, according to Beer Piper.

Singer concluded: “We have a lot of pride for cask in the UK so we predict the sector will start picking itself up after the decline in sales this year. As an industry – and as a country – we need to reignite the passion for this great traditional category. This can only be done if we pull together to ensure cask served at the bar is always of tip-top quality, is communicated and marketed to customers well at point of purchase, and is always presented perfectly.”