Women get brewing for Cask Ale Week
Family brewer Wadworth has launched a new beer to tie in with National Cask Ale Week's FemALE Day.
Mississippi has been created by Wadworth employees Tricia Hurle, Su Stafford and Lucianne Kidd under the guidance of head brewer Brian Yorston.
The brew, which is described as golden in colour with a vibrant aroma of summer fruits, will be launched on FemALE Day, on Thursday (April 1).
Su said: "It was a challenge creating the beer, but it is something that Wadworth has never tried before and we were more than happy to take on the challenge. We really hope that it goes down well with our customers during Cask Ale Week."
Meanwhile, a host of events are taking place across the country as part of the Cask Ale Week celebrations, which run until next Monday (April 5).
London brewer Fuller's has produced cask versions of its more premium brands, London Porter or 1845.
And Greg Mulholland MP, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, marked the start of the event by tabling an early day motion (EDM) in Parliament recognising its importance.
He said: "Cask ale is our great national drink and Cask Ale Week is a great way to celebrate and promote it.
"It is notable that real ale is the area of the beer and pub trade that is expanding. I hope people will use Cask Ale Week as an opportunity to support their local pub and the nation's cask ale trade."
Commenting on the growth of the cask ale category Pete Bown, Publican columnist and author of the Cask Report, said: "Cask's reinvention is impressive by any measure. In 2008, a million and a half more people drank cask than in the previous year. And this is against a trend of falling demand for beer and for alcohol overall.
"It isn't just socially acceptable to drink cask beer now, it's positively cool."
For more information visit Cask Ale Week
