In response to the news that Britain’s oldest brewery Shepherd Neame will be shifting focus away from cask beer and onto kegged products, CAMRA Campaigns and Communications Director Nick Boley commented:
“This news is indicative not only of the struggle that many brewers face in staying afloat while keeping true to their flagship products, but also how many drinkers in the UK view cask beer. Although cask beer is the freshest product on the bar, it is not often promoted as such, and a brewery like Shepherd Neame moving away from brewing cask feels like an abandonment when sales of cask are just beginning to recover post-pandemic.
“Jonathan Neame cites a ‘shift in flavour-profile' for their decision to focus on kegged beer, but the ability to create interesting and unique beers is not limited to kegged products. He also attributes the rising cost in glass as a hurdle in selling bottled beer in the off-trade. CAMRA recently commented on the Government’s estimated packaging fees outlined in its Extended Producer Responsibility, noting a tax on bottles used for beer and cider needs careful implementation to ensure that independent producers and consumers aren’t the ones paying the price.
“Cask beers are made and kept by people with extensive knowledge and skills, and although volume of sales of cask may be declining, drinkers are tending to punt for quality product over quantity according to the BBPA and UKHospitality. In the upcoming Budget, CAMRA is urging the Chancellor to cut duty specifically on beer and cider served in pubs to promote pubgoing and the British tradition of enjoying fresh cask beer in your local pub – an experience that cannot be replicated at home with supermarket alcohol.”
