Nearly three independent breweries a week shut in 2025 as sector faces ‘survival crisis’
Almost three independent breweries per week were lost last year, new data has shown.
Beer
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Jubel plans to double production in 2026 as sales soar
“Guinness is our idol”, Jubel founder Jesse Wilson told The MA as the fruit-flavoured lager brand looks to double production after on-trade sales soared last year.
From £2.99 to over £5: the pint price shift in a decade
10 years ago this month, The Morning Advertiser reported that one fifth of UK beer drinkers were unwilling to pay more than £2.99 for a pint.
Tamworth Tap crowned CAMRA POTY for record-breaking third time
Staffordshire pub the Tamworth Tap has taken the title of CAMRA National Pub of the Year (POTY) 2025.
Great British Drinks Company strikes £6.5m Black Sheep rescue deal
Great British Drinks Company has completed a £6.5m restoration deal to revive Black Sheep Brewery, safeguarding 145 jobs and securing the future of a portfolio of regional beer brands.
EXCLUSIVE: Molson Coors launches Caffrey’s Black Stout to rival Guinness
Molson Coors is set to go toe to toe with Diageo with the launch of Caffrey’s Black Stout rolling out across the on-trade.
Guinness at risk of becoming ‘unaffordable’
Diageo is at risk of making Guinness “the first £10 pint” and penalising smaller operators after announcing price hikes.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Diageo to hike price of Guinness by 5.2%
Diageo is set to increase the price of a number of its products, including Guinness Draught, The Morning Advertiser (The MA) has learnt.
Heineken CEO to step down
Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink has announced he will be stepping down from his roles at the brewing giant.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Diageo responds to Guinness shortage fears
Diageo has dismissed claims Guinness is in short supply, insisting stock is being replenished after the busy festive period.
Hofmeister secures UK distribution deal
Lager brand Hofmeister has announced a new deal to secure its logistical supply following the challenges around Keystone Brewing Group.
FEATURE
FEATURE: Why a pub should consider self-pour beer taps
Everyone wants to join in the fun – and the pub is the perfect place for that to happen.
Pubs urged to offer wider range on tap to boost footfall
Brits would visit local pubs more if they offered a wider range on tap, according to a national beer audit.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Heineken UK to up draught prices by 2.7%
Heineken UK is set to increase the wholesale price of its draught products, The Morning Advertiser (The MA) has learned.
Drinks prices soar as duty hikes loom
The cost of several pub staples have increased in the past year, with the price of a pint alone jumping 4%.
VIDEO
VIDEO: Guinness Open Gate Brewery interviews
As the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London is unveiled to the public, The Morning Advertiser caught up with two of the main people at the site.
Asahi UK outlines on-trade strategy for 2026
Asahi UK has ambitious plans for the on-trade in 2026, with a strategy centred on premiumisation, expanding its low & no range and driving growth in cider and craft beer.
Inside Guinness’s £73m Open Gate Brewery London
Diageo – owner of Guinness – is set to unveil its £73m visitors’ centre and microbrewery this Thursday (11 December).
Madrí surpasses £1bn annual sales as brand turns five
Madrí Excepcional has passed £1bn in annual sales as the brand marks its fifth anniversary, according to Molson Coors.
Perfect Pint Promise launches to raise national draught standards
A major new quality initiative aiming to standardise and improve the serve of draught beer and cider across the UK has been unveiled at the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) Council meeting.
Five US craft beer trends on the way to the UK
Lotte Peplow looks at the latest craft trends to emerge from across the pond.
SALT forced to send out 30,000 replacement Alpacalypse glasses
Fast-growing craft beer brand Alpacalypse has become such a popular serve with pubgoers, the brewer has been forced to issue 30,000 additional glasses to replenish stocks.
Madri: From Spanish newcomer to pub staple in five years
Madri Excepcional has grown at pace since its launch in the UK five years ago and is now thriving in the low & no segment too.
Asahi UK confirms 2026 price rises
Asahi UK has confirmed to The MA it will up prices for pubs next year due to rising operational costs, but says it will keep increases to a minimum.
Robinsons unveils next generation £8.4m new brewery
Work has finished at Robinsons Brewery’s £8.4m new brew site, two years after first being commissioned.
NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP
NEW PRODUCTS: Festive brews for pubs
Greene King, Vocation, Brain’s, Black Sheep Brewery and Joseph Holt are among the brewers to release new beers for pubs in time for Christmas.
BrewDog faces criticism over Punk IPA campaign as updated recipe rolls out
BrewDog has attracted criticism for the wording of a new national marketing campaign promoting its updated Punk IPA recipe, after the brewer described the move as “tastes like commercial suicide” across a series of outdoor ads.
Keystone Brewing Group at ‘pivotal moment’
Keystone Brewing Group is at a “pivotal moment” but is “here to stay” after filing an NOI, CEO Steve Cox has said.
Wet-led revival - is the boozer back in fashion?
With younger consumers embracing the old man boozer, has the wet-led pub, once considered going the way of the Dodo, made an audacious comeback - The Lock In team investigates. Sort of.
Diageo quashes Guinness shortage fears
Diageo has assured Guinness supplies will remain uninterrupted in the run-up to Christmas, despite brewery strike action.
Heineken boss on alternatives to Guinness
There needs to be more alternatives to Guinness if the stout category is to continue its growth trajectory, says Heineken UK on-trade director Will Rice.
Black Sheep vows to fight on despite Keystone bid to save business
Black Sheep Brewery has vowed to “come through stronger than ever” despite owner Keystone Brewing Group filing a notice of intent to appoint an administrator.
‘Zero disruption’ to Hofmeister supplies as Keystone set to appoint administrators
Hofmeister Brewing Company has issued a trading update following speculation its logistics partner Keystone Brewing Group has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.
FEATURE
FEATURE: Brewers explain why they make beers below 3.5% ABV
As the hospitality sector continues to fight the never-ending deluge of cost impacts, some brewers have been keen to reduce the strength of some of their beers and ciders to below 3.5% ABV.
St Austell CEO demands Gov ‘keep a pint affordable’
St Austell Brewery chief executive Kevin Georgel has demanded the Government takes action to “keep a pint of great British beer affordable”.
Guinness 60/40: Here to stay or a passing fad?
A new social media trend has divided opinion among Guinness drinkers and operators.
Which beers have had their ABV reduced?
Foster’s is the latest brand to drop its ABV as a wave of big-names get weaker at the bar.
Operators warn of tipping point on pricing as sector looks to sharpen its beer offer
Operators from Bristol and the wider region shared a mixture of optimism and realism at a Morning Advertiser roundtable last week, exploring how pubs can sharpen their beer offer in a changing market.
AUTUMN BUDGET 2025
Gov must use Budget to ‘empower’ indie brewers
The Government has the chance to “empower” independent brewers at next week’s Autumn Budget SIBA chief executive Andy Slee told The Morning Advertiser (The MA).
Pubs must sell 950k extra pints an hour to cover rising costs
Scottish pub operator and brewer BrewDog has warned pubs would need to sell an extra 950,000 pints an hour to offset rising energy, labour and tax costs.
Heineken boss vows to keep Foster’s pricing ‘competitive’
Heineken UK on-trade director Will Rice has pledged to keep the price of Foster’s ‘competitive’ after reducing the lager’s strength.
Heineken boss issues Budget demands
Heineken on-trade director Will Rice is backing the industry in its bid to ensure the Government supports the sector in the Budget.
OPINION
OPINION: Beer drinkers too hung up on ABVs
Heineken UK slashing the strength of Foster’s Lager from 3.7% ABV to 3.4% was enough for historian and industry commentator Keith Flett to demand the return of the Assize of Ale (presumably extended to bottom-fermented products).
Heineken lowers Foster’s ABV
Heineken UK has announced it will brew its Foster’s Lager with a reduced ABV in line with shifting drinking habits.
NEW PRODUCTS
SALT targets new wave of drinkers with latest brew
Yorkshire-based brewer SALT has targeted the fast-growing fruit beer category with the launch of its latest brew.
Robinsons boss on fears for 2026 as costs continue to batter sector
Robinsons joint managing director Oliver Robinson has expressed his fears for the upcoming year as cost pressures continue to attack the sector.
The year of the black pint: Stout finds fresh energy and new fans
With International Stout Day today (6 November), few categories are fizzing with as much momentum as stout. Once a winter comfort, it’s now a year-round staple, and, for the first time, it’s not just the “old boys” drinking it.
How malt, hops and yeast shape beer flavour
Understanding the difference between yeast, malt, and hop-driven beers can help operators inform customers, guide purchasing decisions and curate a well-rounded beer selection to meet diverse tastes.
Guinness begins ‘new chapter’ as it confirms Covent Garden brewery opening date
Diageo’s Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden is set to open its doors just before Christmas (Thursday 11 December).
Gen Z drinking less, or just drinking differently? New data challenges assumptions
The long-running story that Gen Z are turning their backs on alcohol is losing strength. New research from Lumina Intelligence and CGA by NIQ shows younger adults are still drinking, socialising and spending in pubs and bars, just in different ways.