Taking cask to cask

Why should anyone bother with cask ale? Because, as DAVID GRANT, managing director of Moorhouse's Brewery and northern chairman of SIBA makes clear, it is an intrinsic part of what makes the British licensed trade special and needs to be championed more effectively

When I joined Moorhouse's two-and-a-half years ago I knew that the brewery was synonymous with quality. It already had a long list of brewing awards from both the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) and the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA). Indeed, it probably had more awards than any other brewer of its size. These had all been "crowned" by the ultimate accolade of Supreme Champion Beer of Britain for our Black Cat dark ale at the Camra Great British Beer Festival in 2000.

As if this were not enough, in May this year our "newcomer" Pride of Pendle (4.1% abv) triumphed at the 2004 Brewing Industry International Awards ­ the industry "Oscars" ­ when it first received a gold medal in the middle strength class and then went on to be hailed as the BIIA Champion Cask Conditioned Ale from a field of 181. As a further bonus, our Premier Bitter (3.7% abv) also won a gold medal in its class. To us, this International Awards success is even more significant than the Camra accolade. It means that Pride of Pendle is now effectively recognised by our peers as the best cask ale in the world.

It is further proof, if it were needed, that we are offering the highest quality beers to our customers. We are dedicated to that quality. And it's that caring and passion for quality from everyone at Moorhouse's that has allowed us to buck the trend of declining ale sales to grow volume by 60% over the past two years and greatly enhance profitability.

Our journey to achieve this quality starts with the very best raw materials. Our head brewer, Peter Gouldsbrough, insists on consistency of ingredients and quantities ­ year in, year out. Nothing is done haphazardly and the whole process is carefully monitored throughout to ensure that the very best quality product possible leaves the brewery.

But does quality matter? Does all this care make any difference to the drinker? Should it? The simple answer is yes and yes again. It must. Drinking cask ale is a special experience ­ and one that cannot generally be had outside the unique institution of a British pub or club. Sadly, many of today's pub companies buy on price not quality, while some publicans still believe that cask beer is just too much trouble.

And many drinkers still opt for the beers backed by the big advertising spend, brainwashed into believing that they are the "best buy" rather than the best value for money.

All this conspires against the producers of cask ale and means that some truly great cask beers never reach the lips of most consumers. This is even the case for us in our hometown of Burnley. No matter how many awards we win, many local people are hardly aware of Moorhouse's existence simply because, due to the iron grip of the pub companies, our beer is not widely available in the town. So, while discerning drinkers in hundreds of freehouses far and wide enjoy Moorhouse's, our own community is deprived of it.

Just recently, to help counter this ignorance, we erected a huge banner alongside the brewery proclaiming Pride of Pendle's success at the International Awards. Arrogant? Conceited? No, we feel it is completely justified. We and other brewers without massive promotional budgets need to shout our "quality" offer from the rooftops when we get the chance. We make no apology for it.

Also, to raise our profile further, we have invested in striking new corporate and product branding, including glasses, which we believe significantly improves our bar presence and sets the right "premium" image.

The industry has to accept that the leisure pound can be spent on a huge range of activities, including drinking at home. But cask ale cannot be bought in the supermarket. At Moorhouse's we firmly believe that offering great quality cask ale creates a valuable, sustainable and measurable point of difference to every stockist, ensuring that the extra pounds end up in the pub till. This is the message that all brewers of cask ale have to hammer home to licensees.

It is also very important that the care we take as producers does not end at the brewery door. Rarely does bad beer leave a brewery, but what happens to it afterwards can be a different story. This is partly due to education and training ­ or the lack of it. The industry is taking positive measures to remedy this, but everyone involved in the process must realise that they have a responsibility to make sure that drinking cask ale is a quality experience. Good cellar work is crucial to cask ale.

But it is no good making all this effort in the brewery and the cellar if drinkers ignore it. We should ensure that information is available at the point of sale and that bar staff know the beers and have tasted them, so that, just as with wine, they can help customers to make an informed decision. And it is important that the beer is drawn and served properly in the correctly-branded glassware (if available). All this will enable cask to compete as a premium drink.

We must do this if we are to begin to capture the interest of today's younger consumers ­ our customers of tomorrow. There are positive signs that cask ale's image among the young is changing and its appeal broadening to those under 25 ­ including women. The 2004 Camra Great British Beer Festival demonstrated that young people are interested in cask ale and its infinite variety. We must build on this.

We need to shout about our tremendous range of quality cask ales. From light-bodied beers like our own summer special Blond Witch to the dark and rich "winter warmer" porters produced by many craft breweries. If we are to ensure that cask ale continues to buck the trend of declining beer sales we have to deliver the message that it is unique, that the quality is terrific and that it is a very real alternative to mass-produced, mass-marketed products.

As northern chairman of SIBA (the Society of Independent Brewers) I have recently undertaken a new initiative to help celebrate cask ale. In support of the Beer Naturally Campaign, I have asked all civic leaders in the North West of England to ensure that a choice of cask beer from local producers is featured among their drinks at civic functions. If we can achieve this it will be one more significant step towards the cask-conditioned beer industry achieving the same recognition and celebration in this country as viniculture enjoys in France and other wine-producing countries.

I sincerely believe that it is in all our interests that quality cask ale, like the traditional English pub, be preserved and cherished as part of our heritage and lifestyle. Everyone in the brewing and pub industry should support it. Publicans and consumers alike should demand the best. For there is nowhere better to spend well-earned leisure time than in a well-run pub, club or bar selling great quality cask ale.