Broadening the cask base

So long seen as exclusive to the wet-led heartlands of the north, ale is now attracting a more affluent audience. Kelly Smith reports

Who drinks cask? The clichés which imply that the only people interested in it are either bearded aficionados or ageing flat-capped whippet owners are — with the exception of Madonna — now much less of a reality.

The base of ale drinkers in both the on and off-trade is becoming broader, giving pubs the opportunity to attract a new breed of cask consumers.

Real ale's renaissance is being driven by the growth and prevalence of regionally-brewed beers, and the explosion of local breweries that are bucking the decline in overall ale sales.

Keen to dispel the myths surrounding the category is upbeat report The Intelligent Choice, which suggests that the profile of the cask drinker is becoming less to do with age and more to do with affluence, quality and choice.

It highlights that cask has gained much more of a premium status in recent years, with 78% of ale drinkers falling into the affluent ABC1 demographic.

And although the majority are over 35, according to the report's findings, there is evidence to suggest that the base is widening.

"Most cask-ale drinkers — 60% in total — are aged between 35 and 64. But rather than strictly being an 'old man's' drink, we can see that there's a sharp increase in the likelihood of drinking cask ale when people hit their 30s — it's actually quite a broad age spread," says the report.

As an emerging market, women also represent an opportunity for growth. One in 10 cask drinkers is female, which is still a relative minority.

But, the report believes, as many as one in five customers in a good cask pub is a woman, and where cask ale is presented and served properly, it is proven to attract more women.

Supporting this is a CGA poll commissioned by the Morning Advertiser last year, which found that 22% of licensees reported as many women drinking cask as men, with those in London and the south-east being especially open to it.

As a drink with both style and substance, cask has a number of hooks that resonate with upcoming trends. It fits perfectly the criteria of those moving away from similar products.

AC Nielsen on-trade consultant Graham Page agrees. "Consumers, driven by both young drinkers and older drinkers and — I'm told — more women, are keen on variety, choice, flavour and localness. This is driving some regional brand volumes higher," he says.

The fact that cask is a natural product, with provenance, character and heritage, aligns the category with quality, giving it aspirational associations. And demand for ethical as well as local produce, which are both often intrinsically linked, reveals another valuable asset in cask's armoury.

Also, with its varied spectrum of flavours, cask can capitalise on those seeking different drinking experiences. Food has been a huge factor in elevating ale's status and bringing it more in line with wine — as a drink to be appreciated with dinner.

Brewers, such as Marston's, have been helping pubs promote this link to attract new markets, including women and wine drinkers.

"Serving up a great food and beer experience is important," says Peter Jackson, Marston's Beer Company marketing director.

"But going the extra mile to

cultivate an atmosphere in which younger, more adventurous drinkers will be encouraged to step out of their mass-produced lager comfort zone and taste a cask ale is also essential for the industry."

Different styles, like golden ales and blond beers, could be used to persuade more women and lager drinkers, turned off by the perception that ale is heavy and dark.

Jackson suggests recommending

a cask-ale style close to what customers are used to. A Guinness drinker, for instance, may prefer an oyster stout, and lager drinkers might be persuaded to try a pale ale.

"It should be a priority for all bar staff to be trained to understand the flavours so they can offer advice to new drinkers," he says.

Whether targeting new or existing drinkers, there is one thing all pubs must keep consistent — and that's quality. This, Jackson believes, is

by far the most important selling point of cask ale and crucial to strengthening its position as a premium product.

Top tips on the ale trail

n Encourage trial by offering free tasters and train staff to offer recommendations

n Try stocking pale and golden ales to tempt potential cask converts

n Beer festivals, even on a

small scale, are a great way

of creating interest in cask's diverse offering

n Use branded glassware and consider a stemmed half pint alongside your traditional pint glass

n Adopt, where possible,

the Cyclops tasting notes system — for Cyclops

point-of-sale information,

visit www.camra.org.uk

n Promote your ales on chalkboards and beer lists, including references to where the beer is brewed, heritage, ingredients etc

n Highlight ale recommendations on food menus

n Organise a food-and-ale-matching evening for customers — your suppliers may be able to help