Food & Drink

Raising a glass: Greene King and Jeff Stelling partner up to celebrate cask

THE CASK PROJECT

Greene King teams with Jeff Stelling to celebrate pubs

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Greene King has recently hosted its fifth event with sports presenter Jeff Stelling as part of a series of evenings that celebrate British pubs, cask beer and quizzes.

Something new: BrewDog announces stout headliner Black Heart

BrewDog releases new draught stout

By Rebecca Weller

Independent Scottish brewer and operator BrewDog has expanded its portfolio with the addition of a new draught stout, Black Heart, to its headliner range.

Beer focus: The MA's Ed Bedington urges operators to put cask back in the heart of business

The Cask Project - opinion

Are we missing the best footfall driver?

By Ed Bedington

As January makes way for February and the colder miserable months continue to bite, pubs will be eager to look for ways to drive punters over the threshold.

Year-on-year growth: drinks sales up but comparisons difficult due to disrupted trading during the pandemic in January 2022 (Credit: Getty/pjohnson1)

Soft drinks powering sales in January

By Rebecca Weller

Soft drinks were the driving force behind sales at managed venues in the seven days to Saturday 21 January, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NielsenIQ has revealed.

Government asks: the Campaign for Real Ale is urging the Chancellor to reveal support for pubs and breweries in the Spring Budget (image: Getty/Klaus Vedfelt)

CAMRA demands support to save further closures

By Nikkie Thatcher

Consumer organisation the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has called on the Government to deliver a support package to save the nation’s pubs and breweries from shutting.

Initiative comeback: The Shepherd Neame Cask Club was launched in 2019

The Cask Project

Shepherd Neame’s Cask Club returns

By Nikkie Thatcher

Kent brewer Shepherd Neame has announced it is bringing back its real ale initiative Cask Club next month (February).

New products: this week's round up features new serves from VK, Black Sheep Brewery, Sandford Orchards and Cawston Press

new products round-up

VK launches new sugar free range

By Rebecca Weller

This week's round-up features new products from RTD brand VK, Sandford Orchards, Cawston Press and Black Sheep Brewery.

Drinks Recovery Tracker: latest data shows drinks sales in pubs were 1% behind pre-pandemic levels in seven days to Saturday 14 January (Credit: Getty/Henrik Sorensen)

Drinks sales 1% down vs pre-pandemic levels

By Rebecca Weller

Average drinks sales in Britain’s managed venues in the week to Saturday 14 January were 1% down vs 2020, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NielsenIQ has revealed.

What will it take to save the cask ale category?

The cask project – opinion

Seeking the silver bullet(s) to save cask

By Gary Lloyd

Writing and compiling stories for The Cask Project has led me to believe the under-threat category of cask ale could be improved vastly with a handful of changes.

Why does SIBA want draught beer discount rise from 5% to 20%?

SIBA calls for 20% draught duty discount

By Gary Lloyd

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has urged the Chancellor to expand the draught duty relief to 20% to help the ailing pubs and brewing sector.

New products: this week's round up features new serves from Uncle Nearest, High Point, Provence Wine, Lockdown Liquor & Co. and Hogs Back

NEW PRODUCTS

Uncle Nearest whiskey launches in the UK

By Rebecca Weller

This week's round up features a UK launch from American whiskey brand Uncle Nearest alongside new products from Hogs Back, Provence Wine, Lockdown Liquor & Co, and High Point.

Drinks list: non-alcoholic beer was the second most popular no-ABV drink, according to the research (image:Getty/Instants)

1 in 5 opting for alc-free beer

By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 21% of UK adults would drink booze-free beer as an alcohol alternative at a social occasion where others were drinking alcohol, new research has found.

Smaller serving units for cask beer from Greene King

the cask project

Greene King to launch cask pins

By Gary Lloyd

Suffolk-based brewer and pub operator Greene King has claimed to be the first major cask brewer to launch cask pins – a 4.5-gallon unit container – to market this summer following a seven-figure investment.

Deal done: Wild Beer Co is now part of Curious Brewery

Curious to ‘double in size’ after Wild Beer buy

By Gary Lloyd

Curious Brewery will ‘double’ the size of its operations after acquiring Wild Beer Co’s range of beers after the Somerset brewer entered administration and reportedly made its workforce redundant.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In podcast episode 53

The Lock In Podcast

Price of a pint

By Ed Bedington

How are you handling your pricing? The Lock In team tackle the difficult questions as inflation runs rampant - how much can you put your prices up by?

Hogs Back launches two low alcohol beers and PoS support

the cask project

Hogs Back releases two low alcohol beers

By Gary Lloyd

Surrey-based Hog Back Brewery has urged communities to support their local pubs this month by launching two low and no alcohol beers and adding new PoS support for its flagship beer.

Sip and sing: Robbie Williams has reportedly set plans in motion to launch a range of drinks (Getty/ kunst-mp)

Robbie Williams plans to launch drinks range

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Robbie Williams is reportedly set to rival former Take That bandmate Gary Barlow in the beverage business through launching his own drinks range.

Sad farewell: Another brewery bites the dust due to cost pressures (Getty/ Monty Rakusen)

Manchester Brewing Company ceases trading

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Manchester Brewing Company is the latest in a long line of operations forced to shut due to financial pressures, the business announced yesterday.

Get down the pub: some 85% of UK pubs serve low or no alcohol beers

BBPA urges alcohol-free visits to pubs

By Gary Lloyd

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has urged customers who are abstaining from alcohol to visit their local this month because 85% of pubs now serve alcohol-free beers.

New products: this week's round up features new serves from Guinness, Salcombe Distilling Co and Ellers Farm

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP

Guinness 0.0 launches for the on-trade

By Rebecca Weller

This week's round-up features an on-trade debut from Guinness alongside a new gin from Ellers Farm Distillery and a festive relaunch from Salcombe Distilling Co.

Exceptionally challenging: sales in pubs ahead of 2021 levels but held back by inflation (Credit: Getty/The Good Brigade)

Drinks sales 15% ahead of 2021

By Rebecca Weller

Average drinks sales in Britain’s managed venues during the seven days to Saturday 10 December were 15% ahead of 2021 levels, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NielsenIQ has revealed.

What are the latest drinks releases before Christmas 2022?

New products round-up

New drinks in time for Christmas

By Gary Lloyd

The latest new releases to the market include beers from Hook Norton, Theakston and Chevallier while spirits include Johnnie Walker and Elusive Expressions from Diageo.

Molson Coors opinion on making cask a pub USP

the cask project

Let’s make cask ale a true USP

By Mark Bentley, category management controller and beer sommelier, Molson Coors

A fresh pint of cask ale, perfectly served, is one of life’s great pleasures and a genuine unique selling point (USP) of the great British pub.

Proper craft beer: future for the cask category is

THE CASK PROJECT

Cask category 'building back steadily'

By Rebecca Weller

The future for cask is “bright” as the category "builds back steadily" post-pandemic, but more must be done to educate people on the craft of cask, according to Wadworth Brewery managing director Toby Bartholomew.

Cash injection: the investment will help Toast scale its impact towards its goal of rescuing 1bn slices of surplus bread

Toast Ale raises £2m for growth

By Nikkie Thatcher

Social enterprise brewery Toast Ale has raised more than £2m to grow the positive impact of its business.

Win-win: Majestic Wine announces price freezes for trade customers until Spring 2023 (Credit: Getty/Franek Strzeszewski)

Majestic freezes trade prices

By Rebecca Weller

Majestic Wine has announced price freezes for its on-trade partners until spring next year.

Alcohol-free offer: the roll out will start in 10 of city Pub Group's 45 sites before being expanded further next year

City Pub Group offering alcohol-free wine

By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator City Pub Group has revealed it will launch alcohol-free wine Noughty across a number of its pubs from the new year, with plans to expand the roll out across 2023.

Significant effect: inflation holding drinks sales in the on-trade significantly behind according to CGA (Credit: Getty/monkeybusinessimages)

Inflation holding sales 'substantially' behind

By Rebecca Weller

Average drinks sales by value in Britain’s managed pub, bar and restaurant venues in the seven days to Saturday 3 December were 8% ahead of 2021 levels, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NielsenIQ has revealed.

New products: this week's round-up features new serves from Ridgeview, Devon Cove, and Adnams

NEW PRODUCT'S ROUND-UP

Ridgeview announces new sparkling red

By Rebecca Weller

This week's round-up features a new limited-edition serve from Ridgeview and a debut single malt series from Scapegrace Distillery alongside a unique new beer from Scotland.

Planning ahead: Next year's drinks trends unveiled (Getty/ The Good Brigade)

Drinks trends 2023 revealed

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Manzanillia, South African Straw wine and saline cocktail flavours are the top drinks trends for 2023, according to premium wine specialist Bibendum.

Drinks aspect: a number of wet-led operators have outlined how they are battling against the ongoing energy crisis

The MA Energy Focus in partnership with Heineken

How wet-led pubs are battling the energy crisis

By Nikkie Thatcher

Price changes, ensuring efficiency in the cellar and absorbing a proportion of costs are just some of the ways operators are mitigating ongoing rising energy prices with their drinks offer.

Worrying times ahead: Pint prices could rise and pubs close (Getty/ South_agency)

Pint price could hit £20

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Pubs could close and pint prices could rise to £20 if energy bill help is not extended for pubs, according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

England vs Senegal: home nations quarter final World Cup match sees 8.5m pints sold in pubs (Credit: Getty/Anchiy)

8.5m pints sold during England vs Senegal match

By Rebecca Weller

The England vs Senegal World Cup match on Sunday 4 December saw 8.5m pints sold across the on-trade, data from market intelligence leader Oxford Partnership has revealed.

Company announcement: The Wild Beer Co has halted trading while the administrators try and seek potential buyers for the business (image: Getty/eyecrave productions)

The Wild Beer Co enters administration

By Nikkie Thatcher

Somerset brewer The Wild Beer Co has entered into a period of administration, according to a statement released by the business.

Stepping aside: BrewDog gives up B Corp certification less than two years after gaining the accreditation (Pictured: BrewDog's Las Vegas site)

BrewDog relinquishes B Corp status

By BigH

Scottish brewer and bar owner BrewDog has given up its status as a B Corp less than two years after gaining the accreditation.

Mixing things up: Operators plan stock stock more low and no options in 2023 (Getty/ Instants)

4 in 5 bars to up no/low offering

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

More than four in five bars plan to increase their ranges of no and low alcohol drinks in 2023 to capitalise on consumers’ interest in healthier drinks, new research has revealed.

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