Cask

Cask

The Morning Advertiser launched The Cask Project in a bid to re-energise the category and reinstall it in pride of place on the bar of pubs throughout the country.

Cask beer is in long-time decline and, having joined forces with some of the UK’s leading cask beer suppliers – Greene King and St Austell – we want to reinvigorate attitudes within the trade to a product which should be rightly cherished by operators.

Cask beer is a unique product that can only be replicated successfully within pubs but the perception of cask, particularly among younger drinkers, is that it is made and loved only by an ageing male population.

We want to create a real buzz about cask to get pub owners, operators, general managers, bartenders and all pub staff on board and debunk the myths surrounding the drink and educate them on how to make cask work for their business. And by doing this, we can pass on that knowledge, care and skill into cask beer at the bar for customers to get excited about too.

St Austell's Georgina Young on the need for expert cask beers

the cask project

Big boys have ‘dumbed down cellarmanship’

By Gary Lloyd

St Austell brewing director Georgina Young believes the art of cellarmanship is being dumbed down and, because cask beer is exclusively made only in the UK, it must be saved.

Quality and premiumisation is key to cask growth

THE CASK PROJECT

Cask needs to premiumise, research reveals

By Ed Bedington

Premiumisation is the future of cask beer but quality will be key to the delivery of that, according to a new report into the category.

Goose Island & Magic Rock launch two collabs at Nicholson’s Pubs

The Cask Project

Goose Island and Magic Rock release new cask beers

By Gary Lloyd

Beer brewers Goose Island and Magic Rock Brewing have collaborated to launch two new brews at Nicholson’s Pubs to celebrate Cask Ale Week, which runs until Sunday 2 October.

Greene King incentives for Cask Ale Week

the cask project

Greene King launches two promotions for Cask Ale Week

By Gary Lloyd

Brewer and pub operator Greene King is launching two incentives to engage new and loyal drinkers in the cask ale category to coincide with the launch of Cask Ale Week, which runs between Thursday 22 September and Sunday 2 October.

Salcombe gains St Austell listings and Theakston triples distribution of Summit

the cask project

St Austell lists Salcombe brew, Theakston triples distribution

By Gary Lloyd

South-west-based brewer and pub operator St Austell has recently listed cask and kegged beers from Salcombe Brewery while brewer T&R Theakston has seen the distribution of its Summit variant rise threefold since the start of summer.

Sharp's to release mango beer for Cask Ale Week

the cask project

Sharp’s releases new beer for Cask Ale Week

By Gary Lloyd

Rock-based Sharp’s Brewery has created a limited-edition cask beer called Coaster Alfonso to celebrate Cask Ale Week, which runs between 22 September and 2 October.

Cask operator sees chance to expand cask category

the cask project

‘Opportunity for flavoured and fruit cask ales’

By Gary Lloyd

In the run-up to Cask Ale Week, which takes place between Thursday 22 September and Sunday 2 October, Shaun Slater, licensee of Star Pubs & Bars site the Black Rock, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, talks about the future of cask ale.

Opinion for the cask project on beer quality for customers

the cask project – opinion

Cask ale shouldn’t be Russian roulette

By Gary Lloyd, associate features editor at The Morning Advertiser

There’s nothing better than seeing a beer on the bar you really want to try rather than the homogenous offer available at almost all pubs.

Sharp's and Shepherd Neame win beer awards

the cask project

Sharp’s and Shepherd Neame scoop awards

By Gary Lloyd

Cornwall-based Sharp’s Brewery is celebrating after its cask ales were among beers from its portfolio that earned honours at prestigious awards events.

CMBC technical specialist John Fogg Q&A session

the cask project

All the technical help you need for cask

By Gary Lloyd

Adding a cask beer offering to your pub can be a great way to introduce a new revenue stream while paying homage to what many describe as the most quintessentially British of products.

Consumer ideas on how to improve the cask category

the cask project

Could cooling cask create a greater customer base?

By Marc Walker, consumer journalist and cask ale lover

As someone who came of age in the late 1990s, my journey to cask ale drinker might be considered fairly typical; as a student, I simply went for the same drink as my peers: big brand, non-descript lager, entirely unaware that an alternative, boasting...

Greene King creates new role to champion cask ale

the cask project

Cask has to be perfect to attract younger drinkers

By John Malone, head of brewery customer engagement, Greene King

Brewer and pub operator Greene King has created a new role that is set to champion the most British of drinks – cask ale. Here, head of brewery customer engagement, John Malone, explains what he and the Suffolk-based business is doing to help the cask...

St Austell Brewery talks about cask quality and give top tips

the cask project

Top cellar tips to ensure quality cask

By Su Stafford, St Austell Brewery trade quality manager

When it comes to cask beer, cellar management is key to achieving top quality and taste. St Austell Brewery’s trade quality manager, Su Stafford, gives her top tips.

Pete Brown on how cask ale can use some hops better than kegged beers

the cask project

Cask is building on craft ideas

By Pete Brown

Too often in this industry, we tend to take an adversarial approach to trends: beer versus wine, lager versus ale, keg versus cask, cask versus craft...

Black Sheep Brewery and Salcombe to release new cask ales

the cask project

New cask ales to hit pubs UK-wide

By Gary Lloyd

Cask fans will be able to enjoy new beers from Black Sheep Brewery and Salcombe Brewery Co next month (July).

Why do we sell cask beer too cheaply?

Let's stop being cheap with cask

By Ed Bedington

Our consistently cheap approach to the sale of cask beer is one of the main reasons we struggle to ignite the category.

Vocation Brewery on cask ale and category future

the cask project

Vocation ramps up cask range post-pandemic

By Gary Lloyd

Vocation Brewery sales director John Hadingham answers a few questions about the Hebden Bridge-based beer producer, the business’s cask ale range and offers advice for pub licensees.

Why selling cask gives a pub an advantage

the cask project

Making cask ale more commercially viable

By Anthony Hughes, director of Lincoln Green Brewing Company

We’ve seen the statistics and know from our own experiences; cask is in decline.

Theakston and Robinsons launch beers for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

the cask project

Theakston, Robinsons and Joseph Holt launch Jubilee beers

By Gary Lloyd

North Yorkshire brewery T&R Theakston, Stockport-based Robinsons Brewery, Manchester brewer and operator Joseph Holt and Hook Norton Brewery of Oxfordshire are celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with the launch of new beers.

Quality is key for cask beer

Are you getting it right on cask?

By Ed Bedington

Are you selling your cask beer within the three day window? That’s the question we’re asking as part of The Cask Project.

Female drinkers' choices could lead to more cask ale sales

the cask project

Female drinkers could be key in cask take-up

By Gary Lloyd

Licensee Ady Smith operates Greene King pub the Dove Street Inn, in Ipswich, with partner Karen. Here he explains how they took on the site and how cask can break ground with younger people.

How can cask beer retain its relevance?

The cask project

How can cask beer retain its relevance?

By Nikkie Thatcher

A number of beer experts discussed how cask can remain relevant The Morning Advertiser’s MA Leaders Club in Manchester earlier this week (Tuesday 10 May).

Dr Steve Housden talks about cask beer in quality and how to improve it

the cask project

Is it time to reform the tradition of cask beer?

By Dr Steve Housden, beer expert

I write as a lover of cask-conditioned ale and a veteran of some 40-odd years of brewing it, caring for it in pub cellars and, of course, drinking it.

Frisco boss Cuthbertson on cask ale

the cask project

We need to stop the ‘Real Ale Assassins’

By James Cuthbertson, director Frisco Group and ex-MD of Dark Star Brewing

Let’s be honest, as an industry, when it comes to cask beer, we need to do much better.

Improve your offer: if you a new pub operator who wants to add cask ale to your range, we can help

The Cask report

Call for new cask ale operators

By Ed Bedington

With cask beer being a unique product for UK pub operators, it’s important to ensure pubs are maximising the opportunity and getting it right and The Morning Advertiser (MA) is now seeking new operators to the trade to help them lay solid foundations...

Important part of a ‘proper’ pub: the appreciation of cask ale remains

The cask project

Licensees must realise the trouble cask is in

By Pete Brown

It’s 15 years now since I wrote the first edition of the Cask Report – an initiative organised by cask brewers and industry bodies to reinvigorate attitudes around cask ale. Now, The Cask Project is a new initiative with the same goals.

Falling numbers: CGA statistical analysis shows where cask ale is failing

The Cask Project

The decline of cask ale in numbers

By Gary Lloyd

The short shelf life of cask beer is a major factor in why the category has suffered a continued decline throughout recent years, according to statistics from data insights expert CGA.

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