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.
Beer
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.
APPBG and Tourism urges business rates and tax overhaul
A cross-party group of MPs has called for sweeping fiscal reform to help pubs and brewers unlock growth and investment, warning that current tax and regulatory pressures are stifling the sector’s potential.
Demand for fruit beer surges as drinkers seek new flavours
Once a niche offering, fruit beers are rapidly emerging as one of the on-trade’s brightest opportunities, drawing in curious drinkers seeking flavour and novelty.
Bars, pubs and clubs see spending dip as consumer caution continues
Spending in bars, pubs and clubs fell 0.5% in September, according to Barclays’ latest Consumer Spend report, as cautious consumers reined in discretionary spending ahead of November’s Autumn Budget.
NEW PRODUCTS
New products for pubs this Halloween
With the spooky season just around the corner, The Morning Advertiser (The MA) has rounded-up the best new products available for pubs this Halloween.
Damm officially opens its first brewery outside the Iberian Peninsula following £70m investment
Beer business Damm has officially opened its Bedford brewery after investing £70m in a bid to modernise the site.
‘Escalating overheads’ forces Gipsy Hill to move majority of brewing to Curious Brewery
Gipsy Hill has announced it is moving the majority of its brewing the Curious Brewery in Ashford, Kent.
BrewDog demands action to counter additional £1bn sector costs
Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog has demanded action in the upcoming Budget as “the UK brewing and pub sector has been hit by more than £1bn in additional costs over the past 12 months”.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Alf Turner partners with Stonegate to raise money for Help for Heroes
Alf Turner butchers has joined forces with the UK’s biggest pubco to raise money for veterans charity Help for Heroes.
Has the price of a pint become unaffordable?
The Lock In podcast explores the cost of a pint along with beer writing legend Pete Brown - has the price risen out of reach of the consumer?
What is the history of Guinness?
The new Netflix series is sparking an interest in the history of the famous Dublin brewery and the Guinness family.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE: Majority of drinkers bored by pub beer ranges
Almost three-quarters of drinkers are bored of the beer ranges they come across in the on-trade, new research has revealed.
Asahi responds after cyberattack halts operations
Brewing giant Asahi has confirmed its UK supply has not been impacted after a cyberattack caused a system failure, bringing the business to a standstill.
Brewers warn rising production costs forcing price hikes onto pubs
Brewery bosses have warned rising energy bills, higher wages and regulatory pressures are driving up production costs and forcing price increases onto pubs.
Cask Ale Week: Sharp’s celebrates ‘local pub legends’
Sharp’s Brewery has highlighted pubs at the heart of their communities by celebrating the first six Cornish venues to be recognised as part of its Cask Quality Club.
INDIE BEER MASTERCLASS: gluten-free beer
In the past, the beer options for people who are allergic or have an intolerance to gluten were very limited.