Black Sheep Brewery campaign to entice younger people into cask ale
Its ‘Drink Cask Beer’ initiative coincides with the Masham-based business’s 30th anniversary and hopes to reinvigorate cask ale, which has suffered a steady decline for several years due to changing consumer habits and the growth of other drinks categories.
Black Sheep has sought a range of young creatives in the Yorkshire region to work with who have told the story of cask through their respective art forms.
Artistic licence
Each piece of work focuses on different aspects of cask – from the nuances of the drink, to the care, love and attention that goes into every pint – through the artist’s own particular medium, while creating something new and unique in the process.
To launch the campaign, Black Sheep has partnered with Matt Abbott – a spoken word artist, poet, educator and activist from Wakefield – who has written a bold, powerful poem detailing the history, tradition and relevance of cask ale for all. Abbott’s poem has then been performed in a video production, featuring Bradford actress, Chantelle Pierre.
Black Sheep Brewery chief executive Charlene Lyons said: “Over the years, cask ale has found itself unfairly categorised as a drink for the older generation, losing ground to newer, on-trend drinks. But we know this just isn’t true – cask ale is a drink that everyone of all backgrounds, genders, cultures, and ages can enjoy (above 18, of course).”
Challenge misconceptions
She continued: “While we love ‘craft beer’ and know it continues to soar in popularity among younger drinkers, cask ale – which is really the original craft beer – seems to have been pushed to one side. But now that pubs and bars are open restriction-free, we want to challenge the misconceptions about cask beer and encourage new drinkers to swap their lager or wine for an authentic taste of real ale.
“It’s worth remembering that cask beer is the freshest drink in any pub. It’s a live product and can only actually be consumed in the pub environment. It’s difficult to replicate anywhere else in the world and is quintessentially British. These are just a few of the qualities and benefits that cask offers.”
Beyond making cask beer more visible to younger people, the ‘Drink Cask Beer’ campaign will look to educate people about this form of beer, helping them understand the difference between cask and keg, what makes a good pint and where they can go to get the best examples.
