FEATURE: All about that Bass

Some such interventions have a long tail, and it’s fair to say that the 1989 Beer Orders has been wagging longer than most.

One change to the status quo in the wake of the orders was the separation of the venerable Bass business, with the Bass pub estate re-emerging as Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), still one of the UK’s biggest pub operators.

The brewing side largely ended up in the hands of Interbrew, now AB InBev. That included Bass Pale Ale itself, the OG cask beer named for company founder William Bass, who began brewing in Burton-upon-Trent in 1777.

Bass had been, in no particular order, the very first registered British trademark in the shape of its iconic red triangle; for decades one of Britain’s most successful food and drink exports; the beer served on the Titanic – ice optional for the most part; and a top five cask ale for most of the 20^th century.

In recent years, though, the singular nature of cask ales has often made them outliers in the portfolios of global brewers in terms of brand support. The Bass brand was rumoured to be up for sale a couple of times and most cask drinkers were more likely to see that familiar red triangle on an antique pub mirror or in the breweriana section of eBay, than on the bar.

Just recently, though, the narrative changed. Beer historian Ian Webster set up the National Bass Directory to track pubs stocking the beer and Facebook groups with names like Great Stuff This Bass appeared.

The beer itself appeared on more bars and, as it did, many ale drinkers noticed the quality and consistency of cask Bass, which is brewed under contract by Carlsberg Britvic at the Marston’s brewery in Burton.

Support never wavered

This increased distribution included a return to M&B pubs, and a guest beer arrangement with Greene King. Support now includes a redesigned pub clip, branded glassware, new PoS, and social media activity. Somewhere within Budweiser Brewing Group (BBG) – the UK arm of AB InBev – Bass is clearly once again getting some love.

Among those leading the charge is Warren White, Bass brand manager at BBG, He says: “Bass is an iconic brand with incredible heritage. What also makes it unique is our loyal customers and consumers, whose support for the brand has never wavered. We reinvigorated the brand to recognise them.”

In addition, there is a new generation of beer drinkers embracing established brands and styles. The renaissance of Guinness has been well reported and, last year, AB InBev brought back the Boddingtons brand on cask through a brewing agreement with Manchester’s JW Lees.

“We’re beginning to see the movement of some younger adult drinkers towards nostalgia brands, and given our history and heritage, we felt well placed to meet this trend through some marketing and awareness driving activity,” says White.

The effort is paying off, the CGA Brand Index Report for the full year 2025, measuring the top 10 cask brands by volume, showed Bass is the fastest growing cask brand, delivering a 23% rise in volume sales. This was driven by a 48% increase in distribution compared with 2024, which is also the highest increase in the cask category.

“What’s encouraging is that we have achieved this growth while maintaining our position as the No.1 cask beer in terms of rate of sale, meaning that when stocked, we are the best-selling cask beer on the bar,” says White.

That definitely represents an upturn in demand. Carl Stout, owner of the Devonshire Arms in Burton-upon-Trent, put Bass back on the bar when he bought then freehold of the pub seven years ago, he explains: “It had originally been a Bass house, but having said that, when we first put it on sales were OK but nothing special.

“However, particularly over the past 12 to 18 months, sales have gone through the roof and we now sell twice as much Bass as anything else, not just cask ale, but anything on the bar.”

‘New traditionalists’

There is, White acknowledges, a balancing act to be achieved in terms of positioning the brand. “Firstly, we want to make sure we continue to appeal to existing cask drinkers. An important part of our plan to achieve this was to engage with the amazing community groups that are associated with Bass, like ‘The Honourable Order of Bass Drinkers’. They’re the backbone of our brand and it’s critical they feel connected to what we are doing.

“We also know it’s important we connect with new consumers, not just those who already drink cask but those who don’t. These ‘new traditionalists’ as we call them, are lager and craft drinkers who value authentic brands with a story, heritage and a sense of community.

“The efforts of our sales teams have been bolstered by the organic ‘pull’ we have seen from publicans for Bass, which we believe is testament to our heritage, our reputation as a high-quality beer, and the familiarity of our branding in the eyes of consumers.”

Among those publicans is Carl Hanley, general manager at the Hand & Shears pub near the Barbican in London, which has had Bass as a permanent cask for just over a year. “Bass is really flying,” he says. “They did some social media with us last year and it really helped. I sell at least a barrel and a half each week.

“I think part of the appeal is that Bass has a strong following, including online groups, but hasn’t been widely available in London for a while. My customers for Bass are older drinkers who seek out a beer they love, and younger ones who want to try a beer that their dad drank.”

John Brearley stocks Bass at his two pubs, the Woodman in Birmingham and the Swan & Railway in Wigan, “and it is consistently our best-selling cask ale in both pubs. BBG has recommitted to the brand so, as a licensee, you’ve got more of an incentive to stock Bass.

“We’ve also worked hard to make Bass a success in our pubs and, ultimately, it‘s a brand that does put bums on seats. In the wider context, Bass is a cask-only brand. If the global brewers aren’t supporting cask ale, decline is inevitable. The fact Bass is getting renewed support is important in terms of cask turning the corner.”