Blind tasting opened our eyes to future of cask

14-Feb-2012 - Last updated on 14-Feb-2012 at 10:06 GMT

Related tags Beer

Stephen Crawley: Blowing the trumpet for lower-strength beer

In December we decided to join the brewers’ ranks with a 2.8% ABV cask to utilise the Government’s gift of 50% duty relief for non-PBD (progressive beer duty) brewers brewing 2.8% or below.

My January back at work started with a blind tasting of six 2.8s racked in Punch’s head office with the challenge of recognising the Caledonian beer. Just one slight problem — I hadn’t tasted our beer due to the tight scheduling of our brewing to hit Punch timescales.

Fortunately I spotted it, and that lack of knowledge was linked into the meeting — as I pointed out, we probably know as little about lower ABV cask as the public do! We’ve had thoughts, observations, and years of exposure to cask but really we were only suggesting what drinkers might actually think.

The following week I carried a pin of our 2.8% ABV from the Red Lion into the Houses of Parliament to much comment and humour as my cargo allowed me to skip the queue!

MPs and the health minister were prompted to give interesting feedback — it all helps!

Even if this beer doesn’t last, it’s been a great talking-point to kick-start 2012 and all subsequent feedback from trade and consumers leads us to believe it may have an exciting role in non-PBD brewers’ portfolios.

A flavoursome beer is key. It gives the option of social responsibility or value, or plays a selective role in either or both.

I guess this goes to prove what a dynamic UK market we operate in — and something we had not seriously considered by the end of November was, amazingly, sampled in a head office and at the Houses of Parliament by 17 January!

I guess 2.8% is a key reason that my January flew — unlike the turgid rugby match at Murrayfield on Saturday!

The 2011 Calcutta Cup match was, as ever, a great occasion, and the weekend, shared by visitors to Caledonian and Edinburgh, was fabulous fun — apart from the rugby! The truly dire first half made the dire second half seem relatively OK…

Our 2.8 was not even anticipated until December and has already galvanised the first part of 2012. So let’s ensure that the latter
part of this year, as we anticipate the 2013 Calcutta Cup, ends with us knowing that we have given our all to make decent 2.8% ABV beer part of the UK beer scene.

Because it’s just possible that the Government might be watching and listening.