Bid to shake off ‘male, pale and stale’ cask image
The Drink Fresh Beer initiative from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is seeking to modernise the image of cask beer to attract younger drinkers.
Statistics from the campaign show 93% of loyal cask drinkers are men and, of that number, 71% are aged over 50 so it aims to highlight what it is that makes cask beer special: fresh, artisan and with a diverse range of flavours and styles all handmade by skilled brewers.
Drink Fresh Beer has a series of eye-catching visuals to help cask compete with other options on the bar including new cylindrical handpulls, tulip glassware, table talkers, posters, beer mats and staff T-shirts.
Scannable pump clip
Meanwhile, social media promotions will aim to capture the attention of consumers before they step through the pub door. Once they reach the bar, an AR (augmented reality) scannable pump clip will help beer drinkers learn more about the drink, how far it has travelled to the pub and when the cask was freshly tapped.
CAMRA’s Katie Wiles, one of the Drink Fresh Beer organisers, said: “The qualities that make cask beer special – such as the fact that it is fresh, artisan, locally produced and a natural product – are qualities that young consumers really care about when they are making purchasing decisions.
“The challenge has been how to convey these qualities without stepping on the toes of ‘craft’ beer or using alienating jargon – such as fermentation, conditioning or yeast.
Change perception
Fellow organiser, Neil Walker of SIBA, added: “This campaign isn’t just about dressing up a few handpulls – we’re looking to connect the dots across the industry and completely changing the public’s perception about cask beer. This isn’t just an ‘old man’s drink’ hidden in a dark corner of the bar - cask is the pinnacle of brewing, the freshest, most handcrafted product on the bar.
“We want to tell this story not just in pubs, but also by creating an enhanced digital experience that allows drinkers in a variety of venues to learn more about their drink by watching interviews with brewers, discovering where the beer was brewed, or when the beer was freshly tapped.”
Pubs participating in the campaign will be asked to sign up to the ‘Fresh Beer Promise’. Alongside proudly displaying campaign materials at the PoS in their pub, they will commit to stocking at least two handpulls with a rotating third cask on tap.
