Dark Star boss brands lager drinkers 'boring'

The boss of Dark Star Brewing Co has attacked lager drinkers as "boring" and urged pubs to take a risk by removing mainstream brands for more exciting alternatives.

Paul Reed, Dark Star's managing director, made the comments while speaking about the Sussex brewery's plans to introduce a new fruit beer to its range.

"There's a fundamental difference between cask and keg," said Reed.

"Keg has 'a quality' that cannot be dislodged, but no one will love it with a passion like they do cask beers. The lager market has its own strategy. It is best at producing a-middle-of-the-road product that will fail to excite anyone.

"And, because of that the beers will always be reassuringly average."

Reed also argued that "the majority of cask drinkers are looking for variety. A keg drinker wouldn't drink anything for variety. They'll only drink what they drink, never anything else".

Reed advised that, with this in mind, pubs should try removing the ubiquitous brands from their bar and try stocking some alternatives.

"Lots of people don't realise that the trick is to not put mainstream lager brands on," said Reed. "If it's there then some people will never look at the alternative; they won't try it and, until they do, they won't realise they like it more."

For more on what Dark Star is doing to innovate around cask for 2011, see our exclusive in the next issue of The Publican ​and on-line this week.