Brewing

Is it possible to make cask beer stay fresh for longer?

The Cask Project

Extending the life of cask beer

By Gary Lloyd

One of the biggest challenges around delivering an epic cask offer remains shelf life, so the ability to extend the lifespan of what is a quintessentially British product could be just the silver bullet the category needs.

Triumph through adversity: turnover increased by 14% despite a third successive year “affected by external events”

New brands help Theakston return to profitability

By Gary Lloyd

Launching new ale brands has been a factor in increased turnover and profits at T&R Theakston, the Yorkshire-based brewery said in its annual report for its financial year ending 31 December 2022.

St Austell trading up: the last four weeks of trading to 10 June 2023 shows like-for-like sales rising by 20%.

St Austell Brewery turnover up by 34%

By Gary Lloyd

South-west-based brewer and pub operator St Austell Brewery has grown its turnover by 34% to £209.2m – surpassing pre-pandemic sales by 10%.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In podcast episode 63

The Lock In Podcast

Season finale: The challenges ahead

By Ed Bedington

With season three of the Lock In podcast coming to a close, we take a look at some of the current challenges, energy, supply, inflation etc - and where we see things heading.

Asking questions: bringing education to the masses key for beer industry (Pictured Ed Hughes and Sam Lyne)

INTERVIEW

Education key to changing beer perceptions

By Rebecca Weller

The beer industry needs to bring education “to the masses” to help boost the category and support firms through recruitment and costs challenges.

Beer expert: British Guild of Beer Writers chair Emma Inch

Opinion

Understanding the realities of writing about beer

By Emma Inch, chair of the British Guild of Beer Writers

Do you remember that meme that did the rounds on social media a few years ago with the heading ‘what people think I do versus what I actually do’?

Cruz control: Will Rice says people are going out less but the good news is when they do go out, they spend more money

Feature – Heineken UK

FEATURE: Providing better experiences in thriving pubs

By Gary Lloyd

As Heineken UK commits £3m in funding to help selected pubs cover the costs of their first energy-saving audit plus £5,000 towards the any improvements needed, we caught up with interim on-trade director Will Rice to talk about that and much more.

SIBA homebrew competition winner picks up national listings

The Cask Project

Homebrew beer winner to hit UK pubs

By Gary Lloyd

A hazy pale ale named the best homebrew in the UK is set to hit pubs and bars across the UK after winning a competition run by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA).

Hampshire business: Ringwood Brewery was sold to Marston's Brewery in 2007

CMBC planning to sell Ringwood Brewery

By Nikkie Thatcher

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has revealed it is proposing to sell Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire citing the venue’s location being in a residential area makes expansion complicated as part of the reason.

Political delusions on cheap beer are damaging

OPINION

Delusions of cheaper beer is beyond naive Prime Minister

By Ed Bedington

You have to wonder if politicians really believe the things they say because our Prime Minister’s recent comments about how one of the benefits of Brexit has been the delivery of cheaper beer does seem to fly in the face of reality.

Farewell to chairman: Liberation Group chair Richard Grainger (right) and CEO Jonathan Lawson (left)

Liberation Group chair to step down

By Gary Lloyd

South of England and Channel Islands brewer and pub operator Liberation Group has announced chairman Richard Grainger will be stepping down after seven years in the role.

Black Sheep Brewery to host Drink Cask Beer Festival for second year

The Cask Project

Black Sheep Brewery to host 2nd cask festival

By Gary Lloyd

Black Sheep Brewery is hosting a free-to-attend beer festival this weekend (28-30 April) that will feature beers from Yorkshire brewers such as Timothy Taylor’s and Saltaire.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In Podcast episode 59

Lock In Podcast

Getting your cask offer right

By Ed Bedington

Cask beer is a key component of the pub operation, but are we getting it right? The Lock In team takes a look at where pubs are going wrong with cask and how you can up your game on a category that is key to a good operation.

Shepherd Neame launches second Cask Club beer of 2023

The Cask Project

Fire power launch from Shepherd Neame

By Gary Lloyd

Shepherd Neame has released a sequel beer for its returning Cask Club initiative called Dragonfire (4.5% ABV).

Hop to it: 2022 has been labelled the worst year for UK breweries going insolvent (credit: Getty/Mike Harrington)

Craft breweries going bust rises threefold

By Gary Lloyd

The number of craft breweries going bust jumped more than threefold in 2022 as rising production costs and reduced consumer spending took their toll.

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?

Business growth: the deal means Harbour's beers will be more widely available (image: Adam Sargent)

St Austell takes share in Harbour

By Nikkie Thatcher

South west-based business St Austell Brewery has taken a minority share in north Cornwall business Harbour Brewing Co.

Bright and progressive future: former Black Sheep Brewery chair Andy Slee (pictured) to take over as SIBA chief executive from January 2023

SIBA appoints new CEO

By Rebecca Weller

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has announced the appointment of its new chief executive.

Executive comment: CMBC boss Paul Davies says he is grateful to his colleague and their Damm counterparts for their 'collaboration throughout the process of making the agreement a reality'

CMBC sells Eagle Brewery

By Nikkie Thatcher

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is planning to sell the Eagle Brewery, Bedford to Spanish brewer SA Damm (Damm) for an undisclosed sum.

Turbulent times: Northern Monk Founder Russell Bisset says rising CO2 costs make budgeting and planning challenging for breweries (Credit: Getty/Monty Rakusen)

Rising CO2 costs 'hugely challenging'

By Rebecca Weller

Uncertainty regarding rising CO2 costs has created “hugely challenging” and “turbulent” operating conditions for breweries, according to Leeds based craft brewery Northern Monk co-founder Russell Bisset.

Devastating loss: MCBC announces closure of National Brewery Centre (Credit: Getty/Lingbeek)

MCBC confirms closure of National Brewery Centre

By Rebecca Weller

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has called for brewing artefacts to be “safeguarded” following the “devastating” announcement the UK’s only museum dedicated to brewery history will close later this year.

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”.

The Blacksmiths Arms operator Maria Dillon along with the LoveInspire founder and chief executive Monica Holton

Heineken Brewing Good Cheer campaign celebrates togetherness

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Heineken’s Brewing Good Cheer campaign is subsidising get togethers for good causes, after research revealed 30% of people lacked confidence to go out, despite eight out of 10 people claiming socialising important to their wellbeing.

Thank Brew: Trade bodies back limited edition beers sold for the Jubilee (Getty/ GeorgePeters)

Limited edition beers brewed for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Limited edition beers will be sold by UK pubs and bars in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in the Thank Brew initiative, backed by trade bodies as a “fantastic opportunity” to celebrate the sector and bring people together.

How is the Pedalling for Pubs challenge going?

PEDALLING FOR PUBS

Pedalling For Pubs Live(ish): Day four

By Chris Lowe

A team of intrepid riders from across the pub sector are going from Dead to Red, cycling over 335kms across Jordan in aid of two great causes, Only a Pavement Away and the Licensed Trade Charity. We'll be charting their progress here, day by day...

How can pubs improve quality on cask beer?

Sharp's looks to tackle quality challenges on cask

By Ed Bedington

It has been 10 years since the deal that saw Molson Coors snap up cask disruptor Sharp’s, and the combined business continues to go from strength to strength with the launch of new initiatives to drive the brand and the category forward.

Previous history: Carlsberg bought London Fields Brewery in 2017

CMBC closes London Fields Brewery with view to sell

By Nikkie Thatcher

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has closed London Fields Brewery (LFB), shutting the taproom and stopping brewing immediately, and is looking to sell the site and brand.

Figures found: 2020 saw the number of breweries fall by to 1,816 - down on 2019 but this rose for 2021 to 1,902 (image: Getty/Stefano Gilera)

Brewery numbers rise after 2020 drop

By Nikkie Thatcher

The number of total independent breweries has increase to 1,902 in 2021 from 1,816 in 2020, new figures have found.

Pandemic impact: I say this with no expectation or not as a jibe; at the end of the day, Covid has put an exceptional strain on the hospitality sector and no one could blame someone for squeezing out more profit where possible during what has been an incredibly testing time'

Opinion

The great restaurant pricing debate

By Sarah John, director, Boss Brewing

It was popcorn at the ready for me recently as I saw the argument unfold between Wine Expert Guy Woodward and Celebrity Chef Tom Kerridge on Twitter.

Recruitment issues: 'The solution is not as important here as getting across the point that we need to stop blaming the hospitality sector itself for this staff shortage crisis'

Opinion

Stop blaming the industry for the hospitality staff crisis

By Sarah John, director, Boss Brewing

Those of us within the hospitality industry are well aware that we face a staff crisis; there is no disputing that we are experiencing rising worker shortages, with job vacancies at higher-than-ever levels.

Spotlight

(credit: Getty/ViewApart) Experts give comment for the Beer Report 2024 The Morning Advertiser's Lock In Podcast episode 77 S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more) Competition kicked off: entry for the 2024 Great British Pub Awards is now open Hunt is under way for the Great British Pub of the Year The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast shortlisted for award Lock In podcast shortlisted for top award

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