Cask Ale

What are the best selling drinks brands of 2022

Drinks List 2023

The Drinks List – top brands to stock in 2023

By The Morning Advertiser

This year’s Drinks List has seen great strides forward in terms of volume and value sales versus last year because the on-trade has been operating on a much better basis than during the heavily restrictive phases of the pandemic.

Sharp's, Shepherd Neame and Black Sheep win at International Beer Challenge 2022

the cask project

Cask ale producers scoop host of awards

By Gary Lloyd

Cask ale producers Sharp’s, Shepherd Neame, Black Sheep Brewery and Purity are celebrating after winning an array of medals at the International Beer Challenge 2022.

CMBC's Kyle Le Vins on 5 myths surrounding cask ale

The cask project

Cask beer doesn’t sell – debunking 5 myths

By Gary Lloyd

Cask ale is difficult to keep and it doesn’t sell. Those are a couple of the 5 myths Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) on-trade category manager Kyle Le Vins has debunked about stocking cask beer.

Greene King launches Cask Iron Guarantee to save pubs money

GK launches Cask Iron Guarantee

By Gary Lloyd

Suffolk-based brewer and pub operator Greene King has launched a new initiative – the Cask Iron Guarantee – that gives free-trade customers the ability to claim a refund or credit for expired cask ale.

Why CMBC's Hobgoblin could help cask category

Seeking a younger market for cask

By Gary Lloyd

Cask is often associated with old men and an out-of-fashion drink but if modernising the beverage and bringing down the average age of the customer is the answer to reinvigorating the category – could Hobgoblin help the category?

No respite in sight: food and drink inflation has risen by more than 10% for eight months in a row (credit: Getty/Muhammad Farhad)

Food and drink inflation rises to record-high 18.8%

By Gary Lloyd

Inflation in food and drink prices hit a record high of 18.8% in September 2022 – the eighth consecutive month of double-digit rises – according to the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index.

Anspach & Hobday completes brewery expansion after fundraising

the cask project

Anspach & Hobday capacity hits 1.76m pints per year

By Gary Lloyd

London-based cask and keg brewer Anspach & Hobday has completed the expansion of its brewery following a crowdfunding drive that mean it is now capable of producing 1.76m pints per year.

See it, say it, Salt it: Salt brewery will also serve eight cocktails on draught

Salt to open 8th taproom

By Gary Lloyd

Craft and cask beer brewer Salt will open its eighth taproom this autumn with plans for a ninth mooted too – both in the business’s heartland of Yorkshire.

Theakston's first ever collab is with craft brand Wylam

the cask project

Cask and keg brewers join for Theakston’s first collab

By Gary Lloyd

Yorkshire-based brewery T&R Theakston has joined forces with Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Wylam Brewery to create Henry’s Pick – the first collaboration beer since the family brewer was founded almost 200 years ago.

Why beer styles only work with a certain dispense method

the cask project

If you love cask ale, is it OK to flirt with keg?

By Pete Brown

Since CAMRA’s foundation, some real ale devotees have insisted it’s the only style of beer worth taking seriously. But times have changed, and so has beer.

Boon for beer: SIBA says the SBR policy has helped grow the number of UK breweries

SIBA praises 20-year-old policy that led to brewing boom

By Gary Lloyd

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has launched a report to mark the 20-year anniversary of the Small Breweries’ Relief policy that has had a huge impact on UK brewing, including a boom in small breweries and increase in different beer styles being...

Big Bog Brewing named North West champion in SIBA awards

the cask project

Liverpool-based Big Bog wins SIBA regional award

By Gary Lloyd

Liverpool microbrewery Big Bog Brewing Co has won the Overall Champion Cask Beer Award at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North-West Independent Beer Awards 2022, which took place at the Bolton Beer Festival.

Beer and food pairing with Ed Hughes of Sharp's

the cask project

How to match complex cask flavours with your food

By Ed Hughes, beer sommelier, Sharp’s Brewery

Sweet, bitter, sour, spicy and fruity: beer arguably has a more complex range of flavours than wine, and beer and food matching is a growing concept in modern cuisine.

Beer Piper tips and online tool to work out beer waste

the cask project

Beer Piper launches beer-saving calculator

By Gary Lloyd

Beer line cleaning business Beer Piper has launched an online calculator to help publicans save money and offered six tips to help keep money in licensees’ pockets.

Sheffield's Kelham Island Brewery saved from shutdown

the cask project

Kelham Island Brewery saved from closure

By Gary Lloyd

Sheffield’s oldest independent brewery has been saved from closure by a six-strong group made up of beer, music and art fans.

Purity bucks trend on cask and charges more

the cask project

Purity pub charges premium price for cask

By Purity Brewing Co

Contrary to some preconceptions, when properly ‘looked after’ and poured, cask ales can range from cool, light, zesty and refreshing to dark, rich and complex, with an infinite variety of styles, flavours and aromas in between.

Something to pour over: operators have to consider what to serve in more detail post-pandemic (credit: Getty/JGalione)

Beer report 2022

FEATURE: Beer volumes down but there are winners

By Phil Mellows

A new normal for the on-trade beer market is taking shape. Disrupted by pandemic lockdowns and now an inflationary crisis that’s constraining consumer spending power and squeezing profit margins, pub operators are having to review what they sell and how...

London brewer Small Beer put Steam beer into cask

the cask project

Small Beer puts Steam variant into cask

By Gary Lloyd

South London brewer Small Beer, which is known for its sub-2.8% ABV brews, is putting its Steam beer variant into cask format.

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.

Initiative launched: Drink Fresh Beer aims to end the perception of cask being an ‘old man’s’ drink

Bid to shake off ‘male, pale and stale’ cask image

By Gary Lloyd

A campaign that recognises cask beer is in “steep, sustained decline” and is struggling to shake its “male, pale and stale” image will be launched at the Future of Cask Seminar on Thursday 22 September.

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.

Business story: Jennings Brewery had been making beer for almost two centuries (image: Getty/Jonathan Knowles)

A look into Jennings Brewery history

By Nikkie Thatcher

In light of the recent news that Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company (CMBC) looking to sell the Jennings Brewery, The Morning Advertiser has taken a deep dive into the backstory of the venue.

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.

Shutdown site: Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth, Cumbria has closed after operating below capacity for a number of years, according to CMBC (image: Getty/ilbusca)

CMBC closing Jennings Brewery ‘devastating blow’

By Nikkie Thatcher

The decision to close Cumbrian operation Jennings Brewery by Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has been labelled a “devastating blow for the area’s brewing heritage”.

Brewery relief: the scheme was first introduced 20 years ago (image: Getty/Lingbeek)

MPs to debate small breweries’ future

By Nikkie Thatcher

The future of small breweries is being debated today (Tuesday 6 September) as the Small Breweries’ Relief (SBR) marks 20 years since it was announced and the sector is battling the energy crisis.

Plenty of room: Big Penny says its Walthamstow beer garden is one of the largest in the capital

Truman’s beer renamed as Big Penny

By Gary Lloyd

Truman’s beer will be known as Big Penny from 15 September following the acquisition of the trademark by the management team at the Old Truman Brewery.

Four of the finalists: Horse & Jockey, Larkin's Alehouse, Mold Alehouse and Olaf's Tun

CAMRA names 16 best pubs in UK

By Gary Lloyd

The best 16 pubs in the UK have been named by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) with all having the chance to become the organisation’s Pub of the Year 2022.

Horse power: Hogs Back Brewery will begin its hops harvest soon

Hogs Back celebrates 30 years ahead of hop harvest

By Gary Lloyd

Brewer Hogs Back Brewery has marked the 30th anniversary of its inception by inviting 30 customers for a pint of its flagship cask ale Tongham TEA just before hop harvesting begins.

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.

Spotlight

The Morning Advertiser's Lock In Podcast episode 77 S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more) Competition kicked off: entry for the 2024 Great British Pub Awards is now open Hunt is under way for the Great British Pub of the Year The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast shortlisted for award Lock In podcast shortlisted for top award

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