Craft 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...

Turbulent times: Northern Monk Founder Russell Bisset says rising CO2 costs make budgeting and planning challenging for breweries (Credit: Getty/Monty Rakusen)

Rising CO2 costs 'hugely challenging'

By Rebecca Weller

Uncertainty regarding rising CO2 costs has created “hugely challenging” and “turbulent” operating conditions for breweries, according to Leeds based craft brewery Northern Monk co-founder Russell Bisset.

Record sales so far this year: BrewDog reports £36.9m turnover in year to December 2021 (Pictured: BrewDog co-founder James Watt)

BrewDog reports £36.9m turnover

By Rebecca Weller

BrewDog Retail has reported a turnover of £36.9m in the year to December 2021, up from £25.2m in 2020.

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.

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.

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.

Happier times: North Brewing Co at The Publican Awards earlier this year

North Brewing fundraising as ticket firm enters administration

By Gary Lloyd

Craft beer brewer and bar operator North Brewing Co has launched a fundraising campaign after the business that was providing tickets for its inaugural beer festival went into administration, leaving North £25,000 out of pocket.

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.

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.

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.

Increased demand: surge in independent breweries results in 200 new sites in the UK over past year (image: Getty/ Klaus Vedfelt)

UK sees 200 breweries open in the past year

By Rebecca Weller

Some 200 new breweries have opened in the UK over the past year following an increased demand for craft beer, a recent study from UHY Hacker Young has revealed.

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.

Beer is top choice: rugby fans prefer beer to any other beverage when watching a match (credit: Getty/South_agency)

Beer is the choice of drink for rugby fans

By Gary Lloyd

Research by the organisers of the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) has found 42% of rugby fans choose to drink beer at the pub when watching a match.

Event return: the coronavirus pandemic meant the Great British Beer Festival hasn't been available for two years

GBBF returns to capital

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) is set to start in London tomorrow (Tuesday 2 August) after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Time of tenure: James Calder was appointed chief executive in 2019, replacing Mike Benner

SIBA boss Calder to step down

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) chief executive James Calder is stepping down after three years at the helm and five years with the trade body in total.

Craft definition: Powderkeg Beer’s Jess Magill says craft is not a style but is about the producers of beer

Opinion

What is craft beer and why is it important?

By Jess Magill, founder & orchestrator, Powderkeg Beer

A few years back it became a running joke among our brewery team as to who could define craft beer. It’s such a notoriously slippery concept that no one wanted to attempt it, especially not in print.

In style: more than a third of Londoners favour a craft beer

Londoners sup 2.5 pints every week

By Gary Lloyd

Londoners drink two and a half pints of beer every week and most enjoy a mainstream brand of beverage, according to research by Bermondsey craft brewer Fourpure.

Questions asked: James Watt was interviewed by Steven Bartlett on his Diary of a CEO podcast (image: Diary of a CEO)

James Watt: ‘I did push people too far’

By Nikkie Thatcher

Scottish brewer and operator BrewDog co-founder James Watt has admitted to “pushing people too far” and setting “unattainable standards”.

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).

Investor news: BrewDog co-founder James Watt has defended the company's latest initiative

BrewDog set to ‘tokenise’ Punks’ money

By Gary Lloyd

James Watt, co-founder of Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog, has announced the business is working with digital finance company Globacap to give its shareholders the option of having their equity “tokenised”.

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.

Tree planting among company’s schemes: BrewDog co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie

BrewDog launches £12m eco-friendly plant plan

By Gary Lloyd

Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog has commissioned work to create a £12m bio-energy plant at its Ellon base that will power the production of 176m pints per year while reducing carbon emissions by 7,500 tonnes.

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.

Price rise: the cost of a pint has increased by more than 70% in the past 14 years (image: Getty/kyrien)

Updated 2023 Data

Average price of a pint of beer reaches £3.95

By Nikkie Thatcher

The average cost of a pint of beer has increased by almost three quarters (70%) since 2008, with a pint in London costing more than £8, research has revealed.

Double joy: Salcombe has been recognised in both European and SIBA competitions

Salcombe Brewery celebrates two gold beer wins

By Gary Lloyd

Devon-based brewer Salcombe Brewery Co has scooped a gold medal at the 2022 European Beer Challenge for its Pilsner beer following hot on the heels of a gold for Belgica, its small batch Belgian Pale Ale, at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Awards.

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.

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.

What is craft: consumers consider things like independence and locally brewed to be important (Credit: Getty/LauriPatterson)

What defines craft beer?

By Rebecca Weller

According to Statista 1.24bn hectolitres (hl) of craft beer were sold in the UK on-trade in 2019, but just 36% of the 829 surveyed by the website had a ‘good’ understanding of what craft beer means with many consumers looking to better understand the...

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Beer Report 2024 available now to download for free Access the Beer Report 2024 now for free 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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