Licensee of the Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd, South Wales, Nick Otley told The Morning Advertiser (The MA) cask drinkers remained loyal and passionate.
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However, he warned the industry needed to invest in education, quality standards and public awareness if the category was to secure a bright future.
“[Cask] needs more education and visibility if it’s going to attract the next generation of drinkers,” he said.
“Younger drinkers often have limited awareness of what cask beer is and how it differs from other beer styles.
“However, when they’re introduced to it properly, many become enthusiastic supporters.”
The operator also argued cask was often unfairly undersold, despite the skill and care required to serve it well.
“Cask deserves to be recognised and valued as a premium product, not simply as a lower-priced option,” he said.
Significant pressure
“Cask beer is an integral part of our pub culture, and it deserves to be celebrated and protected.”
Cask currently accounts for approximately 30% of Bunch of Grapes’ total wet sales, which Otley said demonstrated demand for cask remained strong when it was well looked after and supported by a varied range.
However, he noted the category remained under significant pressure and was still recovering from the impact of the Covid, with some venues having reduced or removed their cask offer during the pandemic and never reinstated it.
Otley, who is also a brewer, added passion, knowledge and attention to detail were key for operators looking to run a successful cask offer.
Otley's top 5 tips on starting a cask range:
• Ensure your cellar can consistently hold beer at the correct temperature
• Invest in training by attending a recognised cellar management course, such as Cask Marque
• Listen to your customers and stock beers they genuinely want to drink
• Train at least one other member of staff to manage the cellar and cask operation effectively
• Monitor serving temperatures closely and ensure your handpull system is operating correctly and delivering beer in the best possible condition
The pub, which has previously featured on the Top 50 Gastropubs list, has nine cask lines and typically has five to six beers on sale from Monday to Thursday, increasing to all nine lines from Thursday evening through to Sunday.
Across a typical week, it averages around seven to eight active cask beers.
Some 50% of the beers sold at the Bunch of Grapes are brewed on site, with the remainder sourced from independent breweries that share its values, both on the bar and in its onsite bottle shop.
The pub offers a broad range of styles, although pale and golden ales are its biggest sellers. It also showcases milk stouts, black IPAs, Welsh reds, bitters and speciality beers.
Quality and care
Otley said customer feedback played a central role in determining the pub’s range through in-venue conversations and online engagement helping the business understand what customers want to drink.
He told The MA cask beer required particular care, with cellar management and product quality crucial to the offer.
“You wouldn’t serve a great meal on a dirty plate and the same principle applies to cask beer,” he added.
Proper line cleaning, correct cellar temperature and attention to detail were, he stressed, fundamental to serving cask in prime condition.
Otley said a basic understanding of beer styles, ingredients and serving conditions should be expected of anyone selling cask, while businesses should have at least two team members with deeper knowledge who could answer more technical questions and guide customers through the range.
He added: “As a brewer myself, I have an extensive understanding of ingredients, brewing processes and cask conditioning and I encourage staff to continuously develop their knowledge.
“An informed team gives customers confidence in the products they’re purchasing.”
