National Cask Ale Week date switch

National Cask Ale Week will run from 1-9 October this year — spanning two weekends — to help pubs promote the event.

Cask Marque, which runs the week with the support of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), will urge its 7,500 licensees to promote "Try Before You Buy", which is an initiative designed to encourage consumers to try a cask beer.

CAMRA has already pledged support and will encourage its members to attend pubs throughout the event's duration.

It will link the CAMRA website to the list of participating pubs and support the PR programme.

The week was held over the Easter period last year, but the decision was taken to move the event to coincide with the launch of The Cask Report, which reveals trends in the real-ale market.

Cask Marque director Paul Nunny said: "It was felt Easter was already a busy time and we felt that we needed to promote the week at the same time as The Cask Report.

"We thought this would get a big bang on cask as we had a lot of consumer press pick-up on the report last year.

"Individual outlets can use the week to do something for themselves that is commercially viable, such as run a pub quiz, a beer festival, and beer and food activity."

All Cask Marque licensees will be sent free PoS kits, which will include posters, pump-clip stickers, tent cards and guides on how to run Try Before You Buy.

Licensees who are not part of Cask Marque are also encouraged to get involved in the event, although a PoS kit will cost them £20.

The aim of the week is to: ​

• Encourage consumers to be aware of different beer styles

• Encourage trial by new drinkers

• Create awareness of with bar staff of the flavours and facts about products and breweries and to utilise the Cyclops tasting notes

• Create awareness with staff of "Try before you buy"