Brewers come under fire for home draught beer plans

Licensees have attacked plans from two major brewers to make draught beer available in the off-trade.

Marston's Fast Cask system was launched earlier this year to the on-trade to allow cask ale to be served immediately, removing the need for the ale to settle for several days.

But Marston's is now planning to offer a mini fast cask system to the off-trade, which will sell for £16-18 per cask or £2 per pint.

And Molson Coors is also launching a home draught keg. Carling, Coors light and Grolsch will all be available in the home kegs, retailing at £14 - £17 each or £1.70 per pint.

Licensee Matthew O'Keefe of the Royal Standard of England, Buckinghamshire, slammed the plans.

"I've always said the day the supermarkets start selling draught ale, that's the day the pub trade will end," he said.

And Tony Brookes, managing director of the Northumberland-based pub group, Head of Steam, said: "This truly is horrendous news. It's a really serious fight between the on trade and off trade and now that this is out, it has the potential to turn a front room into a bar."

But Stephen Oliver, managing director of Marston's Beer Company, defended the move.

"Pub going customers visit the pub for a variety of reasons and cask ale is only one of them - mini casks will not replace the social experience of visiting the pub, it is far more likely to introduce a new customer to the growing number of cask ale drinkers," he said.