Food & Drink

Vocation Brewery on cask ale and category future

the cask project

Vocation ramps up cask range post-pandemic

By Gary Lloyd

Vocation Brewery sales director John Hadingham answers a few questions about the Hebden Bridge-based beer producer, the business’s cask ale range and offers advice for pub licensees.

Funkin Cocktails shows cocktail opportunities for on-trade operators

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Capitalise on cocktails to increase margins

By Funkin Cocktails marketing director Ben Anderson

Funkin Cocktails’ marketing director Ben Anderson looks at CGA’s newly released mixed drinks report and considers the opportunities for on-trade venues.

Price rise: the cost of a pint has increased by more than 70% in the past 14 years (image: Getty/kyrien)

Updated 2023 Data

Average price of a pint of beer reaches £3.95

By Nikkie Thatcher

The average cost of a pint of beer has increased by almost three quarters (70%) since 2008, with a pint in London costing more than £8, research has revealed.

Sleek design: the new font for Kopparberg draught Strawberry & Lime

In association with Kopparberg

New draught font for Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime

By Kopparberg

Kopparberg, the UK’s leading fruit cider brand (1), is rolling out a brand new Strawberry & Lime draught font nationwide in time for summer.

Do consumers still love gin?

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Sparks are still flying in our love affair with gin

By Kate Blake, senior category strategy manager, Diageo

Brits have had a long love affair with gin, which we believe could be due to the versatility of the liquid as well as its increasingly accessible flavour profiles.

New products round-up: Kopparberg and Black Sheep Brewery release new serves

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP

Kopparberg announces new serve with twist

By Rebecca Weller

This weeks new products round up is led by Kopparberg, offering a fruity new serve with a twist, alongside new products from Black Sheep Brewery, Urchin Spirits, Eight Lands and Burleighs.

Long-standing history: the Caledonian Brewery has been running for more than a century

A deep dive into the Caledonian Brewery's past

By Nikkie Thatcher

With Heineken’s recent announcement of its intention to shut the Caledonian Brewery, The Morning Advertiser has taken a look into the site’s history and how it became one of Scotland’s oldest breweries.

Why selling cask gives a pub an advantage

the cask project

Making cask ale more commercially viable

By Anthony Hughes, director of Lincoln Green Brewing Company

We’ve seen the statistics and know from our own experiences; cask is in decline.

New products round up: Camden and Joseph Holt breweries announce Jubilee beers

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND UP

New products from Camden Brewery and Ciroc

By Rebecca Weller

Camden and Joseph Holt breweries announce limited edition Jubilee beers alongside new products from Ciroc and Bullards plus a celebrity appearance.

Theakston and Robinsons launch beers for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

the cask project

Theakston, Robinsons and Joseph Holt launch Jubilee beers

By Gary Lloyd

North Yorkshire brewery T&R Theakston, Stockport-based Robinsons Brewery, Manchester brewer and operator Joseph Holt and Hook Norton Brewery of Oxfordshire are celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with the launch of new beers.

Staff impact: 30 jobs at the brewery are at risk

Heineken looks to close Caledonian Brewery

By Nikkie Thatcher

Drinks giant Heineken UK has proposed the closure of its Caledonian Brewery, citing the decades old infrastructure causing “significant inefficiencies and costs” as one of the reasons behind the decision.

Double joy: Salcombe has been recognised in both European and SIBA competitions

Salcombe Brewery celebrates two gold beer wins

By Gary Lloyd

Devon-based brewer Salcombe Brewery Co has scooped a gold medal at the 2022 European Beer Challenge for its Pilsner beer following hot on the heels of a gold for Belgica, its small batch Belgian Pale Ale, at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Awards.

Beer Day Britain 2022: celebration returns on Wednesday 15 June after two-year hiatus due to pandemic

Beer Day Britain returns for 2022

By Rebecca Weller

Beer Day Britain is returning after a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic, with Brits encouraged to partake in the event at the pub.

CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker: drink sales in managed pubs, bars, and restaurants up 1% in the seven days to Saturday 14 May (Credit: Getty/Henrik Sorensen)

Drinks sales in growth for fourth week in a row

By Rebecca Weller

Average sales by value in managed pubs, bars, and restaurants were up 1% in the seven days to Saturday 14 May compared to the same week three years ago, the latest CGA Drinks Recovery Tracker has revealed.

Quality is key for cask beer

Are you getting it right on cask?

By Ed Bedington

Are you selling your cask beer within the three day window? That’s the question we’re asking as part of The Cask Project.

Female drinkers' choices could lead to more cask ale sales

the cask project

Female drinkers could be key in cask take-up

By Gary Lloyd

Licensee Ady Smith operates Greene King pub the Dove Street Inn, in Ipswich, with partner Karen. Here he explains how they took on the site and how cask can break ground with younger people.

Deal details: the sale will be completed in three parts over the course of the 2023 financial year (image: Getty/Robert Daly)

C&C sells Admiral stake

By Nikkie Thatcher

Drinks company C&C Group has announced the sale of minority interest in pubco Admiral Taverns to Proprium Capital Partners for a total consideration of £55m.

How to improve your range of soft drinks and sell more

Soft drinks feature

FEATURE: Go hard on capturing soft drinks sales

By Phil Mellows

It’s an old conundrum for the publican. You’d like to sell more soft drinks. You’d like to stock a bigger range. You’d like to offer your non-drinking customers something a little more interesting. In an ideal world. But as you may have noticed lately,...

How can cask beer retain its relevance?

The cask project

How can cask beer retain its relevance?

By Nikkie Thatcher

A number of beer experts discussed how cask can remain relevant The Morning Advertiser’s MA Leaders Club in Manchester earlier this week (Tuesday 10 May).

Huge investment: the Aspall Cyder House upgrade has increased manufacturing capacity by almost 60%

Molson Coors ploughs £16m into Aspall Cyder

By Gary Lloyd

Molson Coors has invested £16m into Aspall Cyder through a three-year renovation project to the cider-making facility in Suffolk and a first-ever TV advert campaign.

Low and no alcohol feature from beer to cider to spirits to wine

Low to no drinks feature

FEATURE: Why low and no alcohol is not a compromise

By Michelle Perrett

The summer is coming with outside drinking and eating set to drive customers into the pub. And while many will reach for their usual tipple in the summer months some people for whatever reason will be looking at not drinking or reducing their alcohol...

Free PDF on how to improve your pub's cider offer

FREE PDF download

Boost your cider offer with this free PDF

By Gary Lloyd

Summer is on its way and what could be better than have a packed pub and, in particular, a packed beer garden to boost your bottom line?

New products: this weeks round up features products from Sandford's, La Chouffe, Belvoir, Howler Head and Portobello Road Distillery

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP

Sandford's announces Jubilee cider & La Chouffe turns 40

By Rebecca Weller

Sandford Orchards release a new serve for the upcoming Jubilee as well as new products from Belvoir, La Chouffe, Howler Head and Portobello Road Distillery in this weeks round up.

New research: premium softs and cocktails are expected to improve on-trade sales (credit: Getty/Dean Mitchell)

Premium softs to drive on-trade sales says Britvic

By Gary Lloyd

Soft drinks are set to drive on-trade sales during 2022 with customers more likely to upgrade to a premium choice than ever before, according to Britvic's latest Soft Drinks Review.

Asahi Legacy 2030 initiative: Asahi have aimed to have 20% of its portfolio made up by no-alcoholic beer by 2030

Asahi aims to make 20% of its beer alcohol-free by 2030

By Rebecca Weller

Asahi Europe & International (AEI) has announced its desire to demonstrate inclusiveness for alcohol-free lifestyles by aiming for 20% of its portfolio to be made up by alcohol-free products by 2030 as part of the Asahi Legacy 2030 initiative.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In podcast episode 42

The Lock In Podcast

Can pubs shake up the cocktail market?

By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team look to shake things up when it comes to cocktails, and take a look at how pubs and bars can up their game when it comes to tapping into the growing cocktail sector.

Dr Steve Housden talks about cask beer in quality and how to improve it

the cask project

Is it time to reform the tradition of cask beer?

By Dr Steve Housden, beer expert

I write as a lover of cask-conditioned ale and a veteran of some 40-odd years of brewing it, caring for it in pub cellars and, of course, drinking it.

Unconventional initiatives: BrewDog co-founder pledges to give £100m of shareholding to team members

BrewDog boss to give £100m of shareholding to employees

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

BrewDog chief executive and co-founder James Watt has pledged to give £100m of his personal stake in the company to team members, and BrewDog bars will now also share 50% of their profits with those who work in them.

Sales of rum in the on trade see 1.7% growth: UK rum market now third largest in the world (Credit: Getty/andresr)

UK rum market is now third largest in the world

By Rebecca Weller

The UK rum market saw gains of 1.7% in the on trade to January 2022 when compared with 2019 and has become the third largest rum market in the world, according to a recent report by the Campari Group UK.

New products round up: new beers from Black Sheep Brewery, Beers Without Beards, Signature Brew and Hackney Brewery

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND UP

New beers from Black Sheep and Hackney breweries

By Rebecca Weller

Included in this weeks new products round up are four new beers from Black Sheep Brewery, Beers Without Beards, Signature Brew and Hackney Brewery as well as new offerings from Atopia, Mouton Cadet, Buzzed and Amaro Santoni.

Frisco boss Cuthbertson on cask ale

the cask project

We need to stop the ‘Real Ale Assassins’

By James Cuthbertson, director Frisco Group and ex-MD of Dark Star Brewing

Let’s be honest, as an industry, when it comes to cask beer, we need to do much better.

Molson Coors supports hospitality category

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Beer & beyond: Why Molson Coors is finding new ways to support its customers

By Martyn Cozens, UK on-trade director at Molson Coors

It’s been a testing couple of years for the hospitality sector and, as we emerge from the pandemic and face other economic challenges, there’s never been a more important time for pubs and their suppliers to support each other.

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