THE CASK REPORT - Malt Report 2013-14, Sep 13.pdfCask Marque pubs have experienced only half the volume decline of non-accredited pubs across their whole draught beer range in the

VOLUME SEVEN 2013-2014 BY PETE BROWN

THE CASKREPORT7

3THE CASK REPORT

• In 2012 cask ale outperformed the total beer market by 6.8%. Cask declined marginally by 1.1%, versus a total beer market decline of 7.9%, and the long-term trend remains one of steady improvement. Cask grew in value by 3%. (p.4)

• Cask ale continues to grow in awareness and interest – more pubs are stocking more cask ales on the bar. 57% of pubs now stock cask - up from 53% in 2009 - stocking an average 3.8 different brands. (p.8)

• The growth in range is helped by the 184 new breweries that have opened in the last year.

• Cask ale plays a major part in keeping pubs open. Cask ale pubs see better results across the whole beer range, and cask drinkers are far more likely to visit the pub, far less likely to say they are doing so less often. (p.7/10)

• Cask ale has outgrown its traditional base and is now a drink for men and women of all ages. Most cask ale publicans believe cask is bringing more women and younger drinkers into their pubs. One in five cask ale drinkers tried it for the first time in the last four years - proving cask is attracting new drinkers. (p10)

• Cask’s ale’s share of total draught ale has increased to 55%. Cask continues to grow its share of all beer with a 16% share of all on-trade beer. (p6-7).

• A major appeal of cask to both drinkers and publicans is its variety. The optimal cask range is a mix of style, colour, ABV, familiarity and provenance, and should be rotated on an on-going basis. But consumers want guest ales to stay on the bar for longer than licensees currently keep them, and want a core of familiar brands as well as new and different beers.

• The recent interest in ‘craft beer’ is helping drive awareness and appreciation of cask. Awareness of ‘craft’ is not as widespread among consumers as it is in the industry. But drinkers believe it denotes quality and is worth paying more for, and consider most cask ale to be ‘craft’.

• Larger regional breweries are increasingly launching their own ‘craft’ or ‘micro’ operations and new craft breweries are opening nationwide at the rate of three a week.

• 33% of cask ale pubs - around 10,000 pubs in total - have run a beer festival in the last year - a major source of trial for new drinkers.

• Increasingly, cask ale publicans cannot imagine a future for pubs without cask. It’s an essential part of any quality pub’s product mix.

The cask ale market 4

The cask ale drinker 10

Range and stocking policy 18

Market trend: craft beer 26

Making the most of stocking cask ale 29 • Stocking cask ale – a beginner’s guide 30 • Stocking cask ale – an established pub’s guide 33 • Stocking cask ale – an expert’s guide 36

References, sources and further information 38

Summary Contents

5THE CASK REPORT4 THE CASK REPORT

The cask ale marketThere are now 1,147 breweries in the UK – more than at any time since the 1930s. CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide lists over 4000 cask ales in regular production – not counting seasonal and occasional beers. Cask is now enjoying an unprecedented era of variety and interest.

Volume• Cask’s performance versus beer overall continues to widen - it now

outperforms total beer by 6.8%. Cask ale market fell slightly in 2012, down 1.1% on 2011, when it showed small growth. This compares with a decline of 7.9% in the beer market overall – attributable in part to the awful weather in 2012.1

• In the year to July 2013 cask ale has declined by 2.3%, compared to a total beer market decline of 2.9%. This closing gap has been heavily influenced by a hot summer, which has seen lager post a monthly increase of 24.2% in July 2013 versus the same month in 2012.

Why is there a volume decline?• More pubs are stocking cask, and

people are drinking it, but many are drinking it less often – the average rate of sale of cask is falling.

• In general, and despite sensationalist media ‘binge drinking’ moral panics, the truth is that the UK population is drinking less alcohol generally – 47% of all drinkers agree that they drink less now than they did a year ago.4

• While there has been a huge increase of interest in cask, it is only available in pubs, and people are going to pubs less often than they used to. 68% of UK adults visit pubs. 25% say they now go less often than they used to, compared to only 6% who say they go more often. 38% of adults say they go to the pub once a month or more.3

• 54% of drinkers say they now drink more at home than in the pub.3

• The main reason people give for drinking at home is that it is cheaper – 83% of home drinkers give price as the reason why. 3

Total beer marketCask beer

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

2

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Cask ale annual percentage volume change 2000-2012

Source: BBPA


The cask ale market (contd)

But cask continues to significantly out-perform other beers• As cask ale continues to significantly out-perform the beer market, it is

growing its share of total beer, on-trade beer and total ale.

Value• Thanks to the rising price of beer, the growth in value of the cask ale market

continues despite the marginal volume decline. Cask was worth £1.7bn in 2012 – a growth of 3% on the previous year.5

• Vianet data show that Cask Marque pubs sell double the volume of cask of non-accredited pubs, with growth coming at the expense of standard lager and keg ale. This is to be expected. What’s more interesting is that Cask Marque pubs have experienced only half the volume decline of non-accredited pubs across their whole draught beer range in the last twelve months. Cask keeps a broader range of people in the pub longer.

• Despite the excitement in the industry and among some beer enthusiasts for ‘craft keg’ ale (which we discuss later) cask continues to establish its dominance in draught ale overall.

Cask ale’s share of market

Cask as % of total beer Cask as % of on-trade beer Cask as % of total ale

Source: BBPA

Cask as % of draught ale

Source: BBPA

2009

2010

2011

2012

7% 7%8% 8%

14% 14%15%

16%

39%37%

37%37%

Keg as % of total draught aleCask ale as % of draught ale

10

0

20

30

40

50

60

70

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012


The cask ale market (contd)

Distribution• As pubs continue to close (and as the rate of closure for non-cask ale pubs

remains much higher than for pubs stocking cask – proving that cask ale helps pubs stay open) distribution of cask ale in British pubs continues to rise, and is now approaching 60%.

• As we’d expect, the majority of cask ale stockists are traditional wet-led pubs. But cask also has a role to play in sports and social clubs and in food-led pubs.

• London accounts for 20% of all cask ale volume. But cask’s strongest growth has been in Scotland, which has overtaken Wales and the North East.

Cask ale’s distribution in UK pubs

Outlet types: share of on trade

Percentage of total cask ale volume by region

2009

Wet led pubs

Sports&Social club

Proprietary Clubs

Food led pubs

Restaurant

Hotels

2010 2011 2012

59% 19%

17%

2%

2%

Source: BBPA

Source: Greene King/Cardinal Research


13%

10% 12%20%

3%

Anglia

Westward

13%Yorkshire

Meridian

London

4%Scotland

Harlech

3%Tyne Tess

8%Granada

16%Central

1%

56% 57%53% 54%


The cask ale drinkerDifferent sources estimate between seven and eight million cask ale drinkers in the UK. While most cask drinkers are older males, cask is seeing renewed interest from women and younger people, and is now firmly established as a drink for all ages.

Demographics• Cask drinkers are affluent,

educated and have money to spend – 68% are social grade ABC1 and 60% earn more than the national average wage.1

• 69% of men have tried cask ale, and 34% of women. Of those who have tried it, 84% say they drink it at some point.3

• Nearly 20% of real ale drinkers tried it for the first time in the last 4 years – cask is clearly recruiting new drinkers.3

• Cask ale appeals to all ages, with 20% of cask drinkers aged under 35 – only fractionally lower than the percentage for beer as a whole (21%).1

• 58% of all cask drinkers tried it for the first time when they were under 25 years old.4

• Licensees perceive that the audience for cask is widening – attracting more younger people and more women.

“ Over the last twelve to eighteen months there are certainly a lot more women drinking cask ale – the lighter, straw-coloured ones. There are a lot more youngsters coming in to try it, and this is not really a youngster’s pub.”

- established cask ale pub, London

The majority of licensees are saying that cask ale is attracting more younger customers and femaile drinkers

How much do you agree or disagree that…

“ Ale is starting to attract younger customers into my pub”

“ More women are drinking ale in my pub”

Disagree Neither agree/ disagree

Agree

14%

26% 24%

61%

Base: 363 cask ale pubs in England and WalesBase: Greene King/Cardinal Research

63%

11%


The cask ale drinker (contd)

Lifestyle and attitudes• Cask drinkers take an active

interest in the world, read widely and like to try new things.1

• Cask drinkers in general are far more likely to visit pubs than other drinkers, because the pub is the only place they can really find a good pint of cask, because they have more money to spend, and because they are more active.1

• They are more than twice as likely as other people to agree that it’s worth paying more for a good pint of beer, and enjoy a broader interest in food and drink.1

• For most people, cask is an occasional drink. 84% of people who have ever tried cask claim to drink it now, but of these 45% say they only drink it rarely.3

• However, there has been an increase in the number of people who claim to drink it ‘often’ and for whom cask is their favourite drink.

Why do cask drinkers drink cask?• If we ask cask drinkers for the

single, main reason they choose cask, they overwhelmingly choose flavour – hardly surprising!

• Interestingly, the CAMRA survey we use for this information asked the question in a different way this year. Instead of giving people a list of statements to choose from, the survey asked an open question, allowing people to answer how they chose and then

categorising those answers. This revealed that the second biggest motivation is curiosity, the desire to try something different, followed closely by the range and variety of cask ale on offer. This supports the curious, ‘lust for life’ style attitude cask drinkers have, and is also echoed by our publicans’ views on the need to provide variety.

• Apart from the hardcore real ale fans, for most people the choice to buy a pint of cask relates to specific occasions – these help explain why it’s not a regular drink for many: 4

- 42% drink cask ‘in certain types of pub’. - 31% drink it mainly at beer festivals – this rises to 38% for women. - 23% drink it when with a friend who knows something about cask. This

is key – it shows that cask drinkers encourage their friends to try it!

How often do you drink cask ale?

Base: All those who claim to have tried cask aleSource: CAMRA/TNS

6%

Main beer I drink

7%

Often

27%

Occasionally

44%

Rarely

16%

Never

10%

Main beer I drink

8%

Often

21%

Occasionally

45%

Rarely

16%

Never

2011 2012

“ The cask drinker will bring friends in who are lager and cider drinkers and say ‘Try this ale’, and we have sample glasses to help them get a taste of it first. Try Before You Buy is a big part of what we do.”

- cask expert publican, Swindon



Why do you drink cask ale?


35%

Offers more

flavour/prefer the

taste

17%

Just to try it/see what it’s

like

16%

Diversity/range of

styles/more chance

9%

Can drink beers

brewed locally

8%

Not as gassy

as other beers

4%

More natural ingredients

3%

To have something different

3%

Social drink

3%

Better value for money

2%

Occasional treat

• If the question is asked in a different way and people can choose more than one thing they like about cask ale, we can see that interest in it is multi-faceted and goes far beyond taste:4

- 73% agree they like that cask is made from natural ingredients - 73% agree they like that cask is a crafted product - 72% agree they like that cask is more authentic than other beers

How much are they drinking?• 20% of cask drinkers say they

are drinking less of it compared to a year ago – much lower than the 47% of drinkers in the wider population who say they are drinking less overall.4

• The reasons they give for drinking less are that they are going to pubs less (40%), spending less on alcohol generally (40%) or drinking less alcohol generally (37%).4

• They are outweighed by the 24% of cask drinkers who say they are drinking more cask ale than they did a year ago.4

• The main reason they are drinking more is that they believe there is a better range of cask beers available (36%), that it tastes better than other drinks (35%), and is better quality than other drinks (33%). They also feel that cask is more widely available than it used to be (32%).4

What is the perfect cask ale occasion?• For the occasional drinker, cask

is associated with certain types of pub – the urban cask ale shrine or the traditional country pub are two examples.

• For most cask drinkers, ale is about a certain type of drinking occasion. It’s all about socialising with friends, going out on a date, or spontaneous meetings.6

• In terms of ‘need states’, cask ask ale is all about having time to savour the beer, having a break and winding down, chilling out and rewarding oneself.6

Why do cask avoiders not drink cask?• When we’ve asked this question

before, giving a set of answers to choose from, most people picked ‘Don’t know’ – there was no strong reason not to drink cask, but we weren’t identifying what the barrier was. So this time, the question was open, allowing people to say whatever they wanted, and responses were grouped.

• This reveals that by far the biggest reason is a vague sense of ‘I just don’t fancy it’.3

• Specific barriers related to actual product or image characteristics barely register.


13%Don’t like/drink beer/

alcohol (often)

42%Just don’t like the idea of it


4%Old fashioned

Need more information at

point of sale

Beer does not agree with me

Too much choice/don’t know where to

Perceive it to be masculine

Put off by smell Perceive it

to be flat

Unfashionable

Don’t know enough about it

5%Perceive it

to be too bitter

8%They don’t serve it in my local pub

2% 1%

1% 1%1%

1% 1%

1%

Why have you never tried cask ale?

Base: All those who claim never to have tried cask aleSource: CAMRA/TNS

• We can’t convert everyone to cask. Of the minority of pub-goers who have never tried, it, more than half are simply not interested in giving it a go.3

• Of those who could be persuaded, by far the best way to do so is free samples, or try-before-you-buy.3

What would encourage you to try real ale for the first time?


25%

Free samples

10%

If my friends drank it

4%

More information on

why I should try

3%

More explanation of what it tastes like

2%

Educated staff who

can explain what it

0%

Stylish glassare

1%

Other

4%

Don’t know

55%

Nothing


Range and stocking policyUltimately, no one knows better than a skilful publican what will sell best in their pub. Most publicans follow a tried and tested strategy of seeing what sells and what doesn’t, and re-ordering the beers that do. But as the range of cask beers available continues to proliferate and consumers continue to seek variety, some careful thought can help this trial-and-error process succeed more often.

• On average, cask ale pubs stock 3.8 brands.

• This is increasing as more pubs put more hand pumps on the bar.

• The growing enthusiasm for cask ale is only to be welcomed. But it comes with a note of caution. Too many hand pumps can potentially reduce the rate of sale on each. If beer sells slower, it can potentially lose condition and quality. This can in turn depress sales further, leading to a vicious cycle of poorer beer and diminishing returns.

• There are easy ways of avoiding this: - Don’t start with too many

pumps – expand when the demand is there. We spoke to one licensee who has fourteen cask pumps on permanent rotation. He started with just one, and his policy is that he only adds an extra one when the slowest mover on the bar takes five days to sell a barrel. The quality standards gained from this have surely helped drive the range to fourteen!

- Change the range during the week. Many pubs with six or more hand pumps double up in the early part of the week, with one beer going through two fonts. Then extra beers can be added at the weekend when the demand is there.

Cask ale pubs split by number of cask beers on the bar

Source: CGA Brand index

One Two Three Four More than four

What to stock?• Both drinkers and publicans tend

to think about a cask range in terms of ‘variety’. This is entirely correct – cask’s current success is being driven by curiosity on the part of the drinker being met with an ever-increasing range of beers from brewers.

• But we can break ‘variety’ down into various aspects. A perfectly curated range of ales should encompass variety in every aspect.

• Research shows that most drinkers tend to navigate cask ale based on ABV and colour, choosing ‘weak’ or ‘strong’, ‘light’ or ‘dark’.4 This is a very useful starting point for looking at a range. We can then go into more detail.

2008

28,273

17,533

8,840

2,898

2,530

2009

27,449

17,250

9,192

3,983

4,014

2010

27,766

16,574

10,195

5,457

6,544

2011

24,697

16,049

10,306

5,976

9,643

2012

22,323

13,721

9,710

6,730

16,389

“ There is no future for a pub without cask ales. It’s the only thing in the pub not being taken by the supermarket trade.”

- established cask publican, Bristol


Range and stocking policy (contd)

ABV• Cask ale traditionally ranges from 3.6 to 4.5% ABV. But readily available,

quality cask ales now stretch from 2.8% to over 7%. Lower alcohol beers are proving very popular with drinkers. Higher ABVs tend to move more slowly but can provide an important point of difference.

Beer Styles• When we talk about ‘ale’ we’re actually referring to a whole variety of styles.

Drinkers have heard of quite a few, and when people encounter a style, most of them give it a try.

• The diversity of cask ales stocked in British pubs has grown. Golden ale is the fastest grower, more than doubling its share of the market since 2008 and gaining 6,000 new stockists in the last year alone.5

• Different styles work best in different parts of the country, for different drinkers, and at different times of year. Seasonality is an important driver – people tend to drink darker in winter and lighter in summer.

Familiar versus unfamiliar• When we began the Cask Report in 2007 we talked in terms of tried

and trusted beers from established breweries and new beers from microbreweries. Subsequent research has shown it’s not as simple as that. What may be new and different in one region or type of pub might be tried and trusted in another. The biggest brewers in the country are now doing limited edition and seasonal beers, and many are launching their own in-house ‘micro’ brands. At the other end, some so-called ‘micros’ are achieving significant scale, and in some pubs may be more ‘tried and trusted’ than established national brands.

• So we now talk in terms of familiar and unfamiliar brands. What constitutes these will change depending on where you are.

Which of the following beer styles have you heard of/tried?

Base: All those who have tried real aleSource: CAMRA/TNS

72%

41%

IPA

Old ale

75%

49%

Mild

Porter

88%

50%

Bitter

Golden Ale

90%

57%

Stout

Barley Wine

Which of the following beer styles have you heard of?

Which have you tried?

27%

56%

28%

56%

32%

75%

31%

68%

Mix of cask ale styles stocked in British pubs (as at June 2013)

Source: CGA Brand Index

33%

17%17%

16%

5%

5% 3% 1%

1% Premium Ale

Best Bitter

Bitter

India Pale Ale

Porter

Golden Ale

Blonde Ale

Pale Ale

Mild


• It’s important to have a good mix of each:4

- 25% of cask drinkers say they actively seek out new cask beers to try. - 20% of cask drinkers say they tend to stick to the brands they like, and

experiment occasionally. - 14% of cask drinkers say they only drink cask if their favourite brands are

on the bar. - To please everyone, and attract the widest possible audience

of cask drinkers to the pub, it’s essential to have a good mix of new and familiar.

• Despite the astonishing growth in the number of beers available over the last five years, the importance of the ten biggest cask ale brands has hardly shifted – proving that both new and established brands have a vital role to play.

• Younger drinkers expect greater variety – on average, 18-24s are likely to choose a beer they have never seen before 24% of the time. This declines by age to just 10% for those aged 55 or over.4

Local versus Exotic• Supporting local breweries is a key driver of interest in cask ale. 62% of

drinkers agree with the statement, “I prefer to drink beer from local/regional brewers.”4

• But one of the appealing aspects of ale is how it varies across the country. 70% of drinkers agree with the statement, “I would like to try beers from different parts of the country more often.”4

• People love the fact that cask ale breweries are regional and local. They want to support their local brewers – but they don’t want to stick with them all the time.

When to change?• Everyone expects at least part of a cask ale range to rotate. But when

drinkers try a new beer, they want to enjoy it.

• Most licensees think a guest ale should be on the bar for no longer than a week. But drinkers expect it to be there for a month. Thinking about how often an individual drinker goes to the pub, this is not a long time, giving on average three or four occasions to try a particular guest beer. If beers are on for no longer than a week, some drinkers may miss them altogether!

Range and stocking policy (contd)

Top ten brands still very important to cask

Trade and consumer perspectives differ in terms of how often guest ale brands should change

Base: Total GBSource: CGA Brand Index


30% 28.7%Top Ten Brands Top Ten Brands

70% 71.3%Rest of Cask Beer Rest of Cask Beer

13 Jun 2009 15 Jun 2013

How long should a pub sell a guest ale brand before changing it for a different brand?

Drinkers Licensees

29% 21% 13% 8%1% 27%

4% 18% 10%26% 34%

Less then a week

About a week

A couple of weeks

After a month

A couple of months

It depends

8%


Market trend: craft beerOne of the most appealing aspects of the beer world is its sociable atmosphere. Aided by social media, brewers, bloggers, publicans, and industry figures enjoy a constant, global conversation about their passion for beer. This makes beer appreciation more exciting than it’s ever been, but also creates a ‘bubble’ where we can potentially lose sight of what matters – and doesn’t matter - to the vast majority of cask ale drinkers. The buzz term of the last two years has been ‘craft beer’ – what is it, how important is it, and what does it mean to the cask ale publican?

What is craft beer?• Unlike cask ale, craft beer in

the UK has no precise, technical definition.

• This is both a weakness and a strength. It means ‘craft’ will always be a subjective term, and people will always disagree about whether some beers are ‘craft brewed’ or not. But thought of as an adjective rather than a noun, as something more broadly descriptive than technically precise, craft works as a consumer-friendly term that covers a broad range of beer styles, and is helping spread coverage and appreciation of interesting, well-made beer.

• Craft beer encompasses cask ale, but also stretches to other beer styles, reflecting the advances in

technology that allow artisanal brewers to create better quality keg and bottled beers than we are accustomed to in the UK.

• Any attempt at a precise definition is sure to meet with resistance and fierce debate – so we will not attempt one here. But when people use the word, they often refer to beers that share at least some of the following attributes:

- Made by small brewers rather than large corporations.

- Tends to be in a more unusual or esoteric style than mainstream commercial beers.

- Can be made using unusual ingredients or processes.

- May be very classically traditional in style – or alternatively, may be very experimental.

- Of a higher perceived quality than mainstream brands.

How widespread is craft beer?• The whole brewing and pub industry is currently looking at craft beer and

working out their position in it. Anecdotally it is driving renewed consumer interest in beer. But research shows that even cask ale drinkers are far less aware of the term than publicans are. Ale drinkers are more aware than others – overall, only 37% of pub-goers are aware of craft beer.6

So what does the consumer make of craft beer?• While awareness of craft is low,

those who are aware of if place very high value on it:

- 73% say it uses more natural ingredients

- 69% say it is better tasting - 45% are prepared to pay more

for it than other beers. On average, 33p per pint more.

• Craft is more likely to be described as ‘contemporary’, ‘interesting’ and ‘individual’, and less likely to be ‘English’ and ‘traditional’.

• In general, the more aware of a brand the consumer is, the less likely they are to claim that it is a craft beer.

• However, when asked if a particular beer is a ‘craft’ beer or not, drinkers are far more generous than licensees. Established cask ale brands from regional brewers are considered to be ‘craft’ by drinkers as much as if not more than newer breweries and imported beers.

Have you heard of the term ‘Craft Beer?’


47% 77%

Trade (363 cask ale stockists)Consumers

(1500 ale drinkers)


What does this mean for cask and the cask ale publican?• Craft beer is a very useful buzzword that is capturing the imagination and

interest of a broad group of drinkers.

• While some in the industry consider craft beer to stand against traditional cask ale, for the drinker most cask ale counts as craft beer. Not all craft beer is cask (and some would argue that not all cask ale is craft beer) but there is a very significant overlap.

• While current consumer awareness is low, interest is growing rapidly and ‘craft beer’ is now frequently discussed in mainstream media.

• ‘Craft beer’ is therefore a useful way of increasing interest in cask ale.

Market trend: craft beer (contd)

Making the most of stocking cask ale

Different publicans have different needs and different levels of knowledge – some will be reading this report for the first time, others for the seventh consecutive year.

It’s therefore necessary to repeat basic information for those who haven’t seen it before at the same time as giving new insight for experienced cask publicans.

So with the help of new research conducted independently by Adsearch Ltd, we have spoken to cask ale landlords at all levels of experience and in all parts of the country to produce a guide in three sections:

• Information for cask novices who wish to master the art of stocking and serving cask ale.

• Information for established cask pubs who wish to develop it further in their business.

• Information for cask experts who may still be able to learn a few tricks from their peers.


Stocking cask ale: a beginner’s guideYou’re a publican who has just decided to take cask ale seriously and invest in a few hand pumps. Or you’ve just taken over an established cask ale pub, or started working in one. Where do you start?

Research Findings• Licensees generally believe cask

ale is important to their business – and growing.

• Cask offers them variety and differentiation in a crowded, competitive pub market. Even before people learn about style and flavour and the spread of different breweries, cask satisfies the appetite for variety and novelty.

• Cask attracts a broader customer base to your pub – it now has much wider appeal than its traditional base.

• Looking after cask ale is not as problematic as you might think – it’s fairly straightforward once you have mastered the basics.

• A well-kept cask ale offering suggests higher than average standards across everything the pub does.

• There is not much awareness of the help and education available to publicans who want to learn more about cask. Most training happens internally but there are many external organisations that can help.

• Publicans would love more help from breweries such as point of sale material – especially branded glasses!

Top Tips• Training – beyond the basics, use

quiet time to learn more and teach staff about aspects such as beer style and ABV. Many bar staff coming to cask ale for the first time are indifferent towards it to begin with, but find they become genuinely passionate about it as they learn more! Find out about external training open to you from a variety of bodies including breweries, PubCos, the BII, Cask Marque and the Beer Academy.

• Correct branded glassware is important. 59% of cask ale drinkers would prefer to see it in a branded glass. 31% prefer a plain glass, which is fine, but at all costs try to avoid serving beer in incorrectly branded glasses. A pint of cask ale in a branded cider or lager glass not only ruins the presentation, it may also ruin the beer, as these glasses are often nucleated to help create an aggressive fizz completely unsuitable for cask ale. Glassware should be renovated regularly.

• Cellar temperature should always be kept between 11 and 13 degrees Celsius.

• Line cleaning is essential – ideally water should be pulled through lies every time a barrel is changed. But at a minimum, lines should be cleaned thoroughly once a week.

• Accept wastage. Yield from a barrel of cask ale will be lower than that for lager or keg beer. Taking old, tired beers off sale, offering Try Before You Buy samples, and not serving the dregs of a cask may all reduce yield, but all add to your reputation for quality and will improve profitability in the long term.

• Look for a balanced mix across the range – think about variety in terms of familiar and unfamiliar brands, local versus ‘exotic’, far away beers, a mix of style, colour and ABV (see pages 18-25 on optimising your range).

• Consider joining Cask Marque – as well as helping you ensure high standards, Cask Marque is now recognisable by 56% of consumers and signifies to them that you keep your ale to a high standard. 96% of participating licensees recommend the scheme. Also contact your local CAMRA branch, who can help with knowledge from a consumer perspective.

“ The breweries are being adventurous now in bringing out new guest ales and seasonal beers, and that’s generated a lot of interest.”

- established cask ale pub, London


Stocking cask ale: a beginner’s guide (contd)

• Promotion of cask is essential. As well as traditional point of sale, we strongly recommend use of chalkboards in the pub and use of social media outside it. Pro-active offering of Try Before You Buy samplers to uncertain customers is a tried and tested route to increasing cask ale sales and the single most important driver of trial among people who have never had it before.

“ The way I’ve always been taught, since I was a kid, is that when you walk into a pub and you look at the beer pumps, if they are clean and shiny it means they look after the beer.”

- new licensee, Pimlico

“ If you go to a pub that’s got the Cask Marque, nine times out of ten you’re going to get a decent experience all the way round.”

- new cask licensee, Bristol

Which of the following do you use to adverise what cask ales you sell?


49% 49%

Pub website Pub Facebook site

25%

Twitter 16%A drinks

menu

4%Local

newspapers and magazines

3%

Direct mail (by e-mail or post or

leaflet drop) Nothing

Stocking cask ale: an established cask pub’s guideYou’ve mastered the basics of cask ale and are comfortable keeping and serving it. You’ve probably got Cask Marque, or at least are up to the standard required of it. Cask plays an important role in your business – but how can you make it work harder for you?

Research Findings• Cask is an essential part of the pub

– can’t imagine business without it.

• Diversity remains the main appeal of cask, but is now joined by a genuine, growing passion for cask on the part of the publican. Most publicans at this level become cask drinkers themselves even if they were not before – as evidenced by passionate cask advocates we spoke to who were originally from countries such as France and Poland!

• Active interest in local breweries – publicans benefit from engagement beyond anything they have with other suppliers, e.g. meet the brewer evenings, advice on keeping beer, staff visits to breweries, even bar staff getting to brew themselves.

Blackboards/chalk-boards - inside the pub

OUT 56%

Blackboards/chalk-boards - outside the pub

IN29%60%

Point of sale - e.g. posters, drip-mats,

bar runners

7%


Stocking cask ale: an established cask pub’s guide (contd)

“ We encourage staff to go to festivals and on brewery trips to develop their own knowledge because we don’t all like the same styles of beer.”

- established cask publican, London

• Appreciation of cask begins to go beyond training to actual knowledge – caring about the beer and being a genuine advocate for it, appreciating it for being pure, natural, crafted, quality.

• ‘Craft keg’ beer is not really on the horizon for licensees at this level – keg still refers to old-fashioned smoothflow bitters, which are seen to play a minor role for older drinkers.

Top Tips• You may have a pub website or

Facebook page but use of Twitter remains relatively low – Twitter is perfect for announcing new beers (not to mention food specials) and events, allows drinkers to make their own suggestions, and overall keeps you top of mind. But remember Twitter is a conversation rather than a broadcast!

• Hold occasional beer festivals - 33% cask ale of pubs say they have had a beer festival in the last 12 months.5 This will increase trial of cask among regulars, drive footfall, and develop relationships with local media and CAMRA branches.

• Use cask to differentiate versus other local pubs – if more pubs are stocking more cask ale, how can you use your range cleverly to set yourself apart from the competition and/or appeal to specific groups of consumers?

• Use paddles for tasting flights – offering three thirds of three different beers is an increasingly popular and effective measure for driving trial.

• Always have someone on duty who knows about the cellar – especially at busy times. Many licensees keep cellar duties to themselves, but if you’re not on duty it looks terrible at busy times if pumps are turned around each time a barrel is finished. It’s also important to have someone knowledgeable to answer customer queries and to be able to correctly identify faults perceived by drinkers.

• Make full use of social media – there are various apps available that allow drinkers to scan Q-codes and get more information about beers. Keep up to date if you are featured in apps such as Cask Marque or Your Round, which drinkers use to find out what beers are on where.

• If serving food, use your regular ales in the menu e.g. a golden ale in the batter for fish and chips, a darker beer in a steak and ale pie.

“ I can’t really afford to get rid of Bass – this is Bass country. With the other five, I tend to mix them up with strengths, colours and tastes, and I’ve normally got one if not two local breweries on… Because the pumps are changing all the time, customers come on just to see what’s on.”

- cask expert publican, Bristol

“ If you’re stocking Beck’s, you can drink that pretty much anywhere, but the selection of ales we have, it does keep people going a little bit longer here.”

- cask expert publican, London


Stocking cask ale: an expert’s guideYour business is an ale shrine – cask ale is your lead selling point, it’s what sets you apart. You may even have a few awards framed behind the bar. You’re on first-name terms with local brewers and may even have brewed the odd beer yourself. But are there any ideas your peers are doing that you haven’t thought of?

Research Findings• Publicans are genuinely passionate

about cask – it’s a real interest, above and beyond needing to serve it in the pub.

• This level of accumulated knowledge means the publican enjoys genuine one-on-one customer engagement discussing the merits of different beers and what the drinker may enjoy.

• Other bar staff who are interested in cask ale gravitate towards the pub, and when employed they stay longer because they are genuinely interested.

• This passion cuts across all ownership models. We might assume a cask ale shrine has to be a freehouse run by a cask enthusiast, but we have found tenanted pubs and managed outlets in branded pub chains where the publican/manager is able to express their passion for cask ale.

Top Tips• Genuine knowledge and passion

allows for greater experimentation with range – use your knowledge to sell a wider range of beers to people who may be unsure about them, differentiating your pub from others that sell cask.

• With more knowledgeable staff looking after your cellar and sales, you don’t have to be as involved with the day to day. Use the extra time to think ahead and plan an events strategy that pushes cask throughout the year, e.g. tying in with holidays and quirky commemorative days (Pumpkin ale on Halloween? Dark beers on International Goth Day?).

• As you are likely to attract interested, regular cask drinkers, increase the frequency of their visits with talks and tastings from meet the brewer events to themed tutored tastings to talks from beer writers or other industry figures. This may even take the form of a ‘cask ale club’ run by the pub with regular promotions and offers.

• Introduce beer and food matching evenings. You might get guest chefs or industry figures to put the matches together. Hardcore cask drinkers love these events, and they also introduce new trialists to cask, who come along because it’s novel and fun.

“ A young lady came in the other day just as the barrel finished, so I said, ‘Come on, we’ve got another in the cellar, you can pour it yourself. You’d think it was Christmas. She went back, talked to her mum, they were taking photographs and tweeting about it. And I thought, well, that’s a convert straight away, and she’ll tell six or seven other people about it, just sitting there tweeting.”

- cask expert publican, Wimbledon

38 THE CASK REPORT

Information and further contacts The Cask Report is supported by:AdnamsSuffolk-based regional brewer. www.adnams.co.uk

The Cask Marque TrustNon-profit organization championing cask beer quality. www.cask-marque.co.uk

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)Europe’s most successful consumer pressure group. www.camra.org.uk

The Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB)Body representing 29 of the UK’s family-owned brewers. www.familybrewers.co.uk

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA)Representing over 687 small, local and independent brewers. www.siba.co.uk

CaledonianEdinburgh-based regional brewer, now owned by Heineken. www.caledonian-brewery.co.uk

CarlsbergUKBrewers of Tetley Bitterwww.carlsberg.co.uk

Fuller’sLondon based regional brewer. www.fullers.co.uk

Greene KingEast Anglia-based regional brewer. www.greeneking.co.uk

Marston’sOperates five breweries and an estate of managed and tenanted pubs across the country. www.marstons.co.uk

PunchOperator of around 4,300 pubswww.punchtaverns.com

RobinsonsFamily brewers based in Stockportwww.robinsonsbrewery.com

St AustellCornish Family Brewerywww.staustellbrewery.co.uk

ThwaitesNorth West Brewerywww.thwaites.co.uk

WadworthBased in Devizes, Wiltshirewww.wadworth.co.uk

Wells & Young’sBedfordshire-based regional brewer. www.wellsandYoung’s.co.uk

The Cask Report is compiled each year by beer writer Pete BrownIn addition to the valuable help provided by the partners above, thank you to the British Beer and Pub Association, CGA Strategy, Adsearch Ltd, Cardinal Research, Research by Design, and Nick Stewart Media Consultancy for their help in compiling this report. http://petebrown.blogspot.com

For press enquiries please contact:Frances Brace Red Flame Communications, 07432 692 [email protected]

Visit us online at www.caskreport.co.uk for regular updates.

Design by: Riley Communications & Eamonn Foy Tel: 01379 586363 www.rileycoms.co.uk

Photography:Photography by Bill Bradshaw Tel: 07957195699 www.billbradshaw.co.uk With thanks to the Dean Swift, London SE1 2NE www.thedeanswift.com

Data SourcesAdSearch Limited1 Coval Passage, London SW14 7RETel: 020-8487 9160 Fax: 020-8487 9161 E-mail: [email protected]

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) www.beerandpub.com

CAPI Omnibus: TNS, Kirkgate , 19-31 Church Street, Epsom KT17 4PF Tel: 020 7160 5560 CGA Strategy www.cgastrategy.co.uk

Established in 1991, CGA Strategy is the specialist on trade research consultancy in the UK. Our aim is to provide innovative solutions for clients designed to fit their individual business needs.

Target Group Index (TGI) www.bmrb-tgi.co.uk With thanks to Grey London for access www.grey.co.uk

References and sources 1. TGI Survey 2012-2013, BMRB2. The British Beer and Pub Association3. Cask ale Omnibus research conducted for

CAMRA by TNS.4. Pub Usage and Real Ale Survey conducted by

Research by Design for Marston’s5. Cask Beer Market data supplied by CGA

Strategy6. Consumer brand tracker research conducted by

Cardinal Research for Greene King

Documents

THE CASK REPORT - Malt Report 2013-14, Sep 13.pdfCask Marque pubs have experienced only half the volume decline of non-accredited pubs across their whole draught beer range in the