Cask Ale

Boon for beer: SIBA says the SBR policy has helped grow the number of UK breweries

SIBA praises 20-year-old policy that led to brewing boom

By Gary Lloyd

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has launched a report to mark the 20-year anniversary of the Small Breweries’ Relief policy that has had a huge impact on UK brewing, including a boom in small breweries and increase in different beer styles being...

Big Bog Brewing named North West champion in SIBA awards

the cask project

Liverpool-based Big Bog wins SIBA regional award

By Gary Lloyd

Liverpool microbrewery Big Bog Brewing Co has won the Overall Champion Cask Beer Award at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North-West Independent Beer Awards 2022, which took place at the Bolton Beer Festival.

Beer and food pairing with Ed Hughes of Sharp's

the cask project

How to match complex cask flavours with your food

By Ed Hughes, beer sommelier, Sharp’s Brewery

Sweet, bitter, sour, spicy and fruity: beer arguably has a more complex range of flavours than wine, and beer and food matching is a growing concept in modern cuisine.

Beer Piper tips and online tool to work out beer waste

the cask project

Beer Piper launches beer-saving calculator

By Gary Lloyd

Beer line cleaning business Beer Piper has launched an online calculator to help publicans save money and offered six tips to help keep money in licensees’ pockets.

Sheffield's Kelham Island Brewery saved from shutdown

the cask project

Kelham Island Brewery saved from closure

By Gary Lloyd

Sheffield’s oldest independent brewery has been saved from closure by a six-strong group made up of beer, music and art fans.

Purity bucks trend on cask and charges more

the cask project

Purity pub charges premium price for cask

By Purity Brewing Co

Contrary to some preconceptions, when properly ‘looked after’ and poured, cask ales can range from cool, light, zesty and refreshing to dark, rich and complex, with an infinite variety of styles, flavours and aromas in between.

Something to pour over: operators have to consider what to serve in more detail post-pandemic (credit: Getty/JGalione)

Beer report 2022

FEATURE: Beer volumes down but there are winners

By Phil Mellows

A new normal for the on-trade beer market is taking shape. Disrupted by pandemic lockdowns and now an inflationary crisis that’s constraining consumer spending power and squeezing profit margins, pub operators are having to review what they sell and how...

London brewer Small Beer put Steam beer into cask

the cask project

Small Beer puts Steam variant into cask

By Gary Lloyd

South London brewer Small Beer, which is known for its sub-2.8% ABV brews, is putting its Steam beer variant into cask format.

St Austell's Georgina Young on the need for expert cask beers

the cask project

Big boys have ‘dumbed down cellarmanship’

By Gary Lloyd

St Austell brewing director Georgina Young believes the art of cellarmanship is being dumbed down and, because cask beer is exclusively made only in the UK, it must be saved.

Quality and premiumisation is key to cask growth

THE CASK PROJECT

Cask needs to premiumise, research reveals

By Ed Bedington

Premiumisation is the future of cask beer but quality will be key to the delivery of that, according to a new report into the category.

Goose Island & Magic Rock launch two collabs at Nicholson’s Pubs

The Cask Project

Goose Island and Magic Rock release new cask beers

By Gary Lloyd

Beer brewers Goose Island and Magic Rock Brewing have collaborated to launch two new brews at Nicholson’s Pubs to celebrate Cask Ale Week, which runs until Sunday 2 October.

Initiative launched: Drink Fresh Beer aims to end the perception of cask being an ‘old man’s’ drink

Bid to shake off ‘male, pale and stale’ cask image

By Gary Lloyd

A campaign that recognises cask beer is in “steep, sustained decline” and is struggling to shake its “male, pale and stale” image will be launched at the Future of Cask Seminar on Thursday 22 September.

Greene King incentives for Cask Ale Week

the cask project

Greene King launches two promotions for Cask Ale Week

By Gary Lloyd

Brewer and pub operator Greene King is launching two incentives to engage new and loyal drinkers in the cask ale category to coincide with the launch of Cask Ale Week, which runs between Thursday 22 September and Sunday 2 October.

Salcombe gains St Austell listings and Theakston triples distribution of Summit

the cask project

St Austell lists Salcombe brew, Theakston triples distribution

By Gary Lloyd

South-west-based brewer and pub operator St Austell has recently listed cask and kegged beers from Salcombe Brewery while brewer T&R Theakston has seen the distribution of its Summit variant rise threefold since the start of summer.

Sharp's to release mango beer for Cask Ale Week

the cask project

Sharp’s releases new beer for Cask Ale Week

By Gary Lloyd

Rock-based Sharp’s Brewery has created a limited-edition cask beer called Coaster Alfonso to celebrate Cask Ale Week, which runs between 22 September and 2 October.

Business story: Jennings Brewery had been making beer for almost two centuries (image: Getty/Jonathan Knowles)

A look into Jennings Brewery history

By Nikkie Thatcher

In light of the recent news that Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company (CMBC) looking to sell the Jennings Brewery, The Morning Advertiser has taken a deep dive into the backstory of the venue.

Cask operator sees chance to expand cask category

the cask project

‘Opportunity for flavoured and fruit cask ales’

By Gary Lloyd

In the run-up to Cask Ale Week, which takes place between Thursday 22 September and Sunday 2 October, Shaun Slater, licensee of Star Pubs & Bars site the Black Rock, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, talks about the future of cask ale.

Shutdown site: Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth, Cumbria has closed after operating below capacity for a number of years, according to CMBC (image: Getty/ilbusca)

CMBC closing Jennings Brewery ‘devastating blow’

By Nikkie Thatcher

The decision to close Cumbrian operation Jennings Brewery by Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has been labelled a “devastating blow for the area’s brewing heritage”.

Brewery relief: the scheme was first introduced 20 years ago (image: Getty/Lingbeek)

MPs to debate small breweries’ future

By Nikkie Thatcher

The future of small breweries is being debated today (Tuesday 6 September) as the Small Breweries’ Relief (SBR) marks 20 years since it was announced and the sector is battling the energy crisis.

Plenty of room: Big Penny says its Walthamstow beer garden is one of the largest in the capital

Truman’s beer renamed as Big Penny

By Gary Lloyd

Truman’s beer will be known as Big Penny from 15 September following the acquisition of the trademark by the management team at the Old Truman Brewery.

Four of the finalists: Horse & Jockey, Larkin's Alehouse, Mold Alehouse and Olaf's Tun

CAMRA names 16 best pubs in UK

By Gary Lloyd

The best 16 pubs in the UK have been named by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) with all having the chance to become the organisation’s Pub of the Year 2022.

Horse power: Hogs Back Brewery will begin its hops harvest soon

Hogs Back celebrates 30 years ahead of hop harvest

By Gary Lloyd

Brewer Hogs Back Brewery has marked the 30th anniversary of its inception by inviting 30 customers for a pint of its flagship cask ale Tongham TEA just before hop harvesting begins.

Opinion for the cask project on beer quality for customers

the cask project – opinion

Cask ale shouldn’t be Russian roulette

By Gary Lloyd, associate features editor at The Morning Advertiser

There’s nothing better than seeing a beer on the bar you really want to try rather than the homogenous offer available at almost all pubs.

Sharp's and Shepherd Neame win beer awards

the cask project

Sharp’s and Shepherd Neame scoop awards

By Gary Lloyd

Cornwall-based Sharp’s Brewery is celebrating after its cask ales were among beers from its portfolio that earned honours at prestigious awards events.

Beer is top choice: rugby fans prefer beer to any other beverage when watching a match (credit: Getty/South_agency)

Beer is the choice of drink for rugby fans

By Gary Lloyd

Research by the organisers of the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) has found 42% of rugby fans choose to drink beer at the pub when watching a match.

Event return: the coronavirus pandemic meant the Great British Beer Festival hasn't been available for two years

GBBF returns to capital

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) is set to start in London tomorrow (Tuesday 2 August) after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

CMBC technical specialist John Fogg Q&A session

the cask project

All the technical help you need for cask

By Gary Lloyd

Adding a cask beer offering to your pub can be a great way to introduce a new revenue stream while paying homage to what many describe as the most quintessentially British of products.

Big plans: Robinsons has seen profits climb ahead of its move to amalgamate its head office, brewing and packaging operations

Robinsons turns loss into £4.5m profit

By Gary Lloyd

Stockport-based brewer and pub operator Robinsons Brewery has announced an operating profit of £4.5m after ploughing £3.5m into its managed and tenanted pub estates.

Consumer ideas on how to improve the cask category

the cask project

Could cooling cask create a greater customer base?

By Marc Walker, consumer journalist and cask ale lover

As someone who came of age in the late 1990s, my journey to cask ale drinker might be considered fairly typical; as a student, I simply went for the same drink as my peers: big brand, non-descript lager, entirely unaware that an alternative, boasting...

Pint price: drinkers at more than 700 JD Wetherspoon pubs can buy a pint of Ruddles Best for under £1.50

JDW serving pints for under £1.50

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon is selling pints of beer of £1.49 in a large majority of its pubs across the nation.

Greene King creates new role to champion cask ale

the cask project

Cask has to be perfect to attract younger drinkers

By John Malone, head of brewery customer engagement, Greene King

Brewer and pub operator Greene King has created a new role that is set to champion the most British of drinks – cask ale. Here, head of brewery customer engagement, John Malone, explains what he and the Suffolk-based business is doing to help the cask...

In style: more than a third of Londoners favour a craft beer

Londoners sup 2.5 pints every week

By Gary Lloyd

Londoners drink two and a half pints of beer every week and most enjoy a mainstream brand of beverage, according to research by Bermondsey craft brewer Fourpure.

St Austell Brewery talks about cask quality and give top tips

the cask project

Top cellar tips to ensure quality cask

By Su Stafford, St Austell Brewery trade quality manager

When it comes to cask beer, cellar management is key to achieving top quality and taste. St Austell Brewery’s trade quality manager, Su Stafford, gives her top tips.

Pete Brown on how cask ale can use some hops better than kegged beers

the cask project

Cask is building on craft ideas

By Pete Brown

Too often in this industry, we tend to take an adversarial approach to trends: beer versus wine, lager versus ale, keg versus cask, cask versus craft...

Black Sheep Brewery and Salcombe to release new cask ales

the cask project

New cask ales to hit pubs UK-wide

By Gary Lloyd

Cask fans will be able to enjoy new beers from Black Sheep Brewery and Salcombe Brewery Co next month (July).

Spotlight

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