Exclusive: top ale writer says beware of complacency in market

By Ewan Turney

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Cask Barack obama Pete brown

Brown: warning pubs against complacency
Brown: warning pubs against complacency
Beware of complacency — that was the message delivered by Pete Brown, author of The Cask Report, at last week's SIBA conference.

Beware of complacency — that was the message delivered by Pete Brown, author of The Cask Report.

Despite the number of cask ale drinkers growing, the number of pubs stocking cask rising and cask grabbing market share of the beer market, the nagging concern is why is it still not able to claim solid volume growth, Brown said.

While there are mitigating factors such as pub closures, duty rises and people going out less during the downturn, cask also has its own specific problems.

"For non-drinkers of real ale, they just don't know enough about it," he said. "It is not relevant to them.

"And the inquisitive drinker can cut both ways as one day he can have a pint of cask and then tomorrow something else.

"We have got to work hard to keep their attention."

Brown said that there needs to be greater investment in the cask category. It accounts for 15.2% of the beer market but only 5% of beer advertising spend. "It is not enough to simply put handpulls on the bar, we have to build knowledge and relevance.

"Cask investment pays off in spades."

On the positive side, cask now accounts for one in every six pints sold in the on-trade and cask ale marketing has become "better and better". Brown added: "It is no longer the poor relation of lager.

"Cask ale is where the dynamism is now. We have new fonts, celebrity drinkers like Madonna, and great sponsorship links with sports, such as Greene King with rugby, and Marston's with cricket."It is really building up some traction."

He has also pointed to US President Barack Obama accepting bottles of Hobgoblin as a gift and the "phenomenal" success of the Cask Marque iPhone app.

He said there were three other reasons behind the recent success of cask:

1. Simple pleasures and new frugality: recession has prompted a re-discovery of simple pleasures and renewed enthusiasm for traditional and craft items.

It's not about going without, it's about rediscovering intrinsic value, Brown explained.

2. Social networks: a third of the total UK population is now on Facebook, while there has been a 1,400% uplift in tweets over the past year.

Eighteen of the top 20 wine and beer blogs are beer related, probably because wine gets so much attention in the national media.

3. Environment and sustainability: people want to do their bit but are lazy. So if you give them an easy way to do it, they will take it.

A pint of locally brewed cask ale has a carbon footprint of 300g compared to an imported bottle of lager (900g) and a bottle of Bordeaux wine (1,200g).

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