There's still time to register for the first chance to win this amazing prize in CaskForce, a promotion from the Morning Advertiser and Marston's.
One host a month will also win £4,000 to improve their pub and 1,000 readers can receive free training in beer storage and service
With just five days to go until the first monthly draw in our innovative CaskForce initiative, pubs are racing to take part and scoop some big prizes. To qualify to be entered in the first draw, licensees have to register the unique reference number, available with each nine-gallon cask of Marston's, by Tuesday, 18 October at 5pm. This is an easy process - simply call the CaskForce hotline on 0800 028 1969 or visit the website at www.caskforce.co.uk
You can enter as many times as you like by buying more casks - a nine-gallon barrel gives you one entry, an 18-gallon cask counts as two and a 36-gallon one gives you four.
From our October draw, one winner will win £4,000 to spend on their business, from improving marketing to staff training.
They will also be selected to go through to the grand final where the winners of the next eight monthly draws will compete to win the top prize - their rent paid for a year.
In addition, 50 outlets - two staff from each pub - will win a day's hands-on training in cellar management and serving quality beer.
Trainers will tailor the BII-accredited Award in Beer and Cellar Quality (ABCQ) to the pub's individual set-up.
The course is designed to help licensees ensure their beer is consistently served in the best possible condition in a bid to increase sales and root out wastage.
It covers a wide range of topics relevant to pubs, including:
l Understanding beer and the business benefits of serving it correctly
l Cleaning, maintaining and storing glassware
l Selecting the appropriate glassware for beer products
l Operating and maintaining glass-washing equipment
l Pouring the perfect pint
l Identifying and rectifying dispensing problems
l The in-glass service temperatures for various beers
l Managing and dispensing cask ales.
How to become a winner and serve better beer
Step 1: Order your Marston's beer
For every nine gallons of Marston's ale, you will receive one cask sticker displaying a unique reference number. This figure is an entry into the prize draw for that month so the more beer you purchase, the more entries you have.
Step 2: Enter into the monthly draw
Go online at www.caskforce.co.uk or phone the entry hotline on 0800 028 1969 to enter the unique reference numbers from your casks into the competition. The deadline for entering the October draw is 5pm on Tuesday, 18 October.
Step 3: Are you a winner?
From these entries CaskForce will draw 50 winning pubs that will receive the ABCQ training in their pub for two people and one victorious hostelry, which will be able to choose from eight prizes to make improvements to their pub or business. All of the winners will be featured on the website and in the Morning Advertiser.
Step 4: Unlucky this time? Try again...
If you haven't won first time, don't worry. There are eight draws taking place from October 2005 to March 2006. See terms and conditions on the website at www.caskforce.co.uk