Food & Drink

BBPA delivers beer basket to Treasury ahead of budget

19-Mar-2012 By Adam Pescod

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has delivered a basket of British beers to the Treasury ahead of this Wednesday’s budget as it pushes for a freeze in beer duty.

Moorhouse brewery lobbies deputy PM

19-Mar-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Moorhouse Brewery managing director David Grant said that a private meeting with the deputy Prime Minister “did not fall on deaf ears”.

MPs support calls for beer duty escalator to be scrapped

19-Mar-2012 By Michelle Perrett

More than 100 MPs have supported calls for the beer duty escalator to be suspended in the Budget on 21 March.

Sign here. Now. To save pubs

16-Mar-2012 By Pete Brown

Among the many strengths and weaknesses we have in this industry, one thing we’re absolutely brilliant at is moaning. We’re world-class moaners. Every week, the pages of this magazine are full of people complaining about stuff.

UK's first draught vodka is unveiled

15-Mar-2012 By Noli Dinkovski

The industry’s first draught vodka has been launched to speed up service and cut down on waste.

Reef goes Global

14-Mar-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

Molson Coors Brewing Company UK has licensed Global Brands to produce and distribute the Reef RTD brand.

Triple Crown ale from Brains

14-Mar-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

Welsh brewer Brains has crafted a 'refreshingly moreish' ale in celebration of Wales’ Triple Crown triumph.

New identity for Orchard Pig

14-Mar-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

The Orchard Pig artisan ciders and juices have been given a facelift across all of its 16 on and off trade products.

MP calls for more tax on super-strength cider

12-Mar-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The former chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group has called on the Government to crack down on super-strength cider because producers are targeting the drinks at young people.

SIBA announces award winners

09-Mar-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Oakham Ales, Bristol Beer Factory and Hepworth & Company have won the Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Supreme Champion Awards for cask ale, bottled beer and craft beer in keg, respectively.

A taste of India in Aylesbury

08-Mar-2012 By Roger Protz

I’m an early riser, but 7.30am means it’s time for a second pot of coffee and a quick scan of the newspaper before firing up the laptop. But as I descended from my room at the Hop Pole pub in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, at that time, Simon Smith and David...

Carling's new lower-ABV Zest

08-Mar-2012 By Noli Dinkovski

Molson Coors has unveiled 2.8% ABV limited edition Carling, and is pitching it as a alternative to popular summer drinks such as rosé and cider.

Beer and food matching: Top Tips

08-Mar-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Not enough money in the till — check. A small kitchen — check. No time — check. Little subject knowledge — check. If you were to make a checklist of reasons why you’re not matching beers with food, you’d probably come up with these.

Bulmers’ new Vintage Reserve

07-Mar-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

Heineken UK has unveiled its latest limited-edition Bulmers to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the cider brand

Carlsberg Pub Cup attracts 4,000

06-Mar-2012 By Adam Pescod

More pubs have been urged to enter a football team for the Carlsberg Pub Cup which has already attracted the signature of nearly 4,000 pubs throughout the UK.

Beer guru Iain Loe retires from CAMRA

06-Mar-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Industry veteran Iain Loe will be hanging up his pub guides and statistical handbooks to retire from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) after 23 years.

Sourz enters RTD market

05-Mar-2012 By By Matthew Moggridge

Maxxium UK is investing £10m in the launch of its first ever ready-to-drink (RTD) format for Sourz.

New generation heads Robinsons brewery

05-Mar-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The chairman of Robinsons, the Cheshire-based brewer and pub operator, has passed on day-to-day management to nephews Oliver and William Robinson.

S&NPC to invest £24.5m in estate

02-Mar-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (S&NPC), the leased pub operator, has announced plans to invest £24.5m across its c.1,300-strong estate over the next two years.

Grounds for hop-timism

01-Mar-2012 By Pete Brown

I spent the other night sitting in a room above a pub, rubbing hops. This might seem like a strange thing to do. I mean, I like hops — most beer drinkers do — but isn’t rubbing them taking things a bit too far?

Beer petition against beer duty hikes

29-Feb-2012 By John Harrington

Eleven MPs have supported calls for the beer duty escalator to be suspended in next month’s Budget.

Time to curb pre-loading

27-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

It is not surprising that National Pubwatch has picked up on minimum-pricing schemes in various parts of the country. I have been contacted by a number of readers questioning the manner in which they have been approached to keep prices to a certain level.

Small brewer volumes rise 9.7%

27-Feb-2012 By John Harrington. M&C Report

Independent brewers have reported a 9.7% rise in beer volumes in the past year, while the number of people employed full time in the sector has risen 25% to 4,000.

Local lagers of distinction

23-Feb-2012 By Roger Protz

As the variety and quality of lagers increase, more fans are naming their favourites. Budweiser Budvar’s Czech range had top billing in a recent discussion at the Draft House, Tower Bridge.

Mojito top cocktail choice for drinkers

23-Feb-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

The Mojito is the most requested cocktail in pubs, bars and clubs across the UK, according to research exclusive to the Publican’s Morning Advertiser.

Hobgoblin launches campaign to scrap beer duty escalator

23-Feb-2012 By Mike Berry

Beer brand Hobgoblin is launching a campaign calling on the Government to scrap the beer duty escalator.

Stella promotes heritage in marketing shift

22-Feb-2012 By By Noli Dinkovski

Stella Artois has unveiled a new advertising campaign that focuses on 600 years of Belgian brewing heritage.

Maypole Inn wins best pint award

21-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The Maypole Inn at Thurloxton near Taunton, Somerset, is celebrating winning the BOC Sureserve competition to find the pub serving the best pint in Britain.

'Extend smoking ban to beer gardens', says report

21-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Smoke-free areas should be extended to beer gardens and other outside areas to help combat “social smoking”, according to researchers in New Zealand.

The Big Interview: David Wilson

21-Feb-2012

Nearly a year into his post, David Wilson, the British Beer and Pub Association’s (BBPA’s) public affairs director, tells Gurjit Degun about his love of a good campaign and how the industry needs to work together to tackle the elephant in the room — the...

Carlsberg to buy Baltika; profits and sales up

20-Feb-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Carlsberg, the international brewer, says it will buy the remaining 15% stake in its Russian brewery venture Baltika this year as it reported a rise in Q4 profits and revenues.

Brakspear pubs in Henley to hold tax-free beer day

20-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Ten Brakspear pubs in Henley-on-Thames are to stage a Tax-Free Beer Day on 28 February, as a way of highlighting the punitive taxation on beer in the run up to the Budget.

SABMiller defends tax claims following student protest

20-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

SABMiller has defended itself against allegations of tax evasion after the University of Edinburgh banned all of the brewer’s beers from its student union.

Jagertee Austrian spirit from The Drinks Company

17-Feb-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

The Drinks Company has released Stroh Jagertee (40% ABV), an Austrian rum blended with spices, black tea extract, lemon and caramelised sugar developed by Sebastian Stroh in 1864.

Making the most of sharing foods

17-Feb-2012 By Sheila McWattie

Sharing foods have enjoyed a rise in popularity over recent years. Sheila McWattie looks at 10 different ways to pull the groups in

Hi-Spirits broker a gin deal

17-Feb-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

Award-winning Broker’s London Dry Gin is now part of specialist distributor Hi-Spirits' growing drinks portfolio.

Green light for Carlsberg expansion

16-Feb-2012

Brewer Carlsberg UK has been granted permission to add a new bottling line to its Northampton site that is to double its capacity for bottling beer.

Give strong beers respect

16-Feb-2012 By Pete Brown

I’ve done another collaborative brew. It’s becoming quite common now for writers and bloggers to be invited to be a guest brewer for the day, and it’s a thrilling prospect: in the past, I’ve likened it to being a music journalist and getting invited on...

Limited edition draught cider from Westons

15-Feb-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

A range of limited edition still draught ciders (available in 20-litre bag-in-box format) is being introduced by Herefordshire-based cider maker Westons.

Vimto intensifies digital presence

15-Feb-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

British soft drinks brand Vimto is stepping up its investment in digital media during 2012.

Heineken UK reports rise in earnings

15-Feb-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Heineken UK, Britain’s biggest brewer, has reported a rise in EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) in 2011 despite a decline in beer and cider volumes.

Blind tasting opened our eyes to future of cask

14-Feb-2012 By Stephen Crawley

In December we decided to join the brewers’ ranks with a 2.8% ABV cask to utilise the Government’s gift of 50% duty relief for non-PBD (progressive beer duty) brewers brewing 2.8% or below.

San Miguel’s £6m Fresca push

13-Feb-2012 By Matthew Moggridge

San Miguel Fresca, a major new brand extension from Carlsberg UK, is to be supported by a £6m marketing campaign embracing outdoor posters, press advertising, digital activity and sampling.

ABV cuts all round

13-Feb-2012 By Noli Dinkovski

Carlsberg and Molson Coors are to follow AB InBev’s move to cut the ABV of three of its biggest brands from 5% to 4.8%.

Beer duty call in SIBA Budget submission

13-Feb-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Society of Independent Brewers’ has called on the Government to introduce a more beer-friendly tax regime in its Budget in March.

Brewing it for themselves

10-Feb-2012 By Roger Protz

The people who run Britain’s pubs often have good cause to boil with rage — but now they’re being encouraged to boil with malt and hops instead There’s a growing move to install brewing equipment in pubs — a fact underscored by the PMA report (26 January)...

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