I guess the trend and the money is being made in craft beers. If your market is general ales and bitters then it must be very tough with the energy costs and general price inflation.
Just look at Wetherspoons. You can go in a buy a whole range of bitters for under £2.50, but the craft beers carry a significant premium and are in demand.
I think there's plenty of room in the marketplace for both traditional cask beers and so-called craft beers, although the craft beers are probably seen as more 'trendy' by the skinny black jeans and goatee beard 30something brigade.........we don't have too many of those in my neck of the woods although they are quite abundant in some of the Leeds city centre bars.
They actually fare very well together. If you look at what the really good independent craft breweries are doing, many are keeping their core range in can and keg, but also trying hard to keep cask supported.Originally Posted by walkerwek1958
Far from being a hipster-only affair, the craft / independent scene is a broad church. Most of the guys and girls brewing passionately now will tell you about the cask beers they knew and loved and grew up with, just as much as the UK or American craft brewers who inspired them to make hoppy, hazy pale ales and IPA’s, the German and Czech brewers who made amazing layered beers and that before we get onto the wonderful world of Belgian treats.
Verdant for instance have introduced a new core cask range which is as much a tribute (no pun intended) to the Proper Job they loved and still love, locally to them in the South West.
Last edited by S Works; 2nd May 2023 at 16:51.
Not at all I’m afraid. As far as I’m aware, the money’s made in two key areas:
1. The big multinational macro brewers, and
2. PubCo’s in the UK who tie their landlords
Cask is though indeed a small share by comparison to kegged beer, cider and other bottled bevs.
But 'Spoons often smell of wee and despair, there's usually at least one old dosser with vomit in his beard...though if you can find a tolerable one, without the aroma, the beers cheap.
Come on, be honest......when did you last visit one?
I accept that the quality is variable and in some locations they are frequented by some dubious clientele, but generally they're fine. Just stayed overnight at the Thirsk Wetherspoons and that was OK, likewise the one in Ripon.
It's narrow-minded to generalise, I`ve yet to visit one that smells of wee and despair!
Ah fair enuff maybe there's better'uns out there...my Dad dragged me into one in SkegVegas, pre covid, twas never going to be the creme de la menthe of society in that location, it certainly did have the eau de toilet and a vagrant with carrot in his beard.
Last edited by Passenger; 2nd May 2023 at 17:56.
Enjoying a month long cruise from Oz to Hawaii and I have found a lovely American bottled IPA called Sierra Nevada 5.6 and it’s packed full of hoppy fruity flavours going down a treat at lunchtime.
A very good brewery and one that kind of kick started the American IPA thing
Most of their beers are available in the uk as they are imported (and some are even brewed) by Fullers in London.
Allthough I see the usual stout stuff, I pleases me to see that the UK drinks a lot of the Belgium and German beers as well.
On many a US road trip with the family I’d have a case of Sierra Nevada in the trunk on the car for a couple of beers in the motel. A very nice craft beer.
This was before craft beer was widely available in the U.K. But I now find you can replicate Sierra Nevada good craft taste with other UK brands, especially as Sierra Nevada is expensive in the U.K. and sold in small bottles.
It is a bog standard mainstream craft beer sold relatively cheaply throughout the US
Just had a delivery of Ghost Ship and Hobgoblin Golden Ale in time for the weekend
Ghost Ship is my nectar
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