tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post5459946550828814114..comments2023-09-20T12:50:40.208+01:00Comments on Pete Brown: The Cask Report: everything you ever wanted to know about cask ale, launches todayAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03011702209832734676noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-29711095700495804522011-09-29T09:22:04.843+01:002011-09-29T09:22:04.843+01:00an interesting read (as always) - thanks Pete...an interesting read (as always) - thanks Pete...Leighhttp://www.goodfoodgoodbeer.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-33949228995716330002011-09-27T17:29:43.546+01:002011-09-27T17:29:43.546+01:00@Eddie: yours is a bit of a specialist beer pub, t...@Eddie: yours is a bit of a specialist beer pub, though, isn't it? The relevance of tasters in the general run of pubs, especially those that do not have guest beers, is going to be far less.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-68806635165156051832011-09-27T10:31:13.419+01:002011-09-27T10:31:13.419+01:00Two things. It is a good idea to offer tasters and...Two things. It is a good idea to offer tasters and, whereas not all pubs do so, all Wetherspoon's outlets (like them or loath them) do so.<br /><br />Secondly, one of the most stupid things that is common to almost all pubs is their failure to show their opening and closing times on their doors (again, apart from Wetherspons). All other shops do so but pubs - of all outlets the most likely to be the first port of call for a stranger - rarely if ever show their hours. So a stranger arriving at 1025 has not idea whether he has to wait five minutes, 35 minutes or even an hour and 35 minutes!<br /><br />I would mention, by the way, that my own local shows its hours, uses chalkboards and offers tastings. And ny my estimate it has increased its business by at least ten times in the 6 months since Dark Star took it over. Oh, and the new owners also threw out all but one of the lager pumps and all the rubbish lagers and installed 8 beer engines, all selling Dark Star beers and at leat one guest.Richard Englishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00520602245760169876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-56206021526717602212011-09-27T09:56:20.451+01:002011-09-27T09:56:20.451+01:00@Cooking Lager : It is growth in market share, but...@Cooking Lager : It is growth in market share, but I agree it's a hair's breadth from weasel words.<br /><br />I also agree with Tom in that attaching to hipster trends is a surefire way of being seen as old hat in 15 minutes time. More important is to establish cask as a timeless product of high quality.<br /><br />I've mentioned it elsewhere, but I'm also a bit disappointed that the report considers a range comprising golden beers of varying bitterness as "balanced".Owenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05627935587028291077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-22522356262384016452011-09-26T18:18:26.019+01:002011-09-26T18:18:26.019+01:00Mudge, I can only speak for myself here but having...Mudge, I can only speak for myself here but having the staff offer instead of wait to be asked for a taster has had more than a few people take a pint or a half rather than stick to their 'safe' drink. I know this as often people will say 'I was going to have a pint of lager, but I'll stick to this please' or something along those lines.<br /><br />It also has helped the staff gain confidence - if they're not too sure of how to describe a beer (I nearly hit the room when a member of my team described Oxymoron, a Black IPA, as 'a traditional stout') they offer a taster and let the customer decide. <br /><br />It's one of the reasons IMO that at this time of the year you'll still find all 5 pumps selling ale, compared to last year it was down to 3 at mostEddie86https://www.blogger.com/profile/03552007546467495543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-3287739425552690042011-09-26T14:24:17.022+01:002011-09-26T14:24:17.022+01:00As usual a lot of interesting stuff in this. The l...As usual a lot of interesting stuff in this. The lack of overlap between the "specialist beer" and "cask" sectors is noteworthy - the beer blogosphere may see a close connection, but the punter doesn't. Also the point about "repertoire drinking" is something that many in CAMRA still have to take on board.<br /><br />I remain unconvinced, though, that in the majority of pubs selling cask beer, offering tasters would make much difference to anything.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-30915029916396152642011-09-26T13:15:32.810+01:002011-09-26T13:15:32.810+01:00Interesting read, must say it's all pretty com...Interesting read, must say it's all pretty common sense stuff really, and will be to most people reading this blog. I think that's the trouble - those publicans who will read the cask report are those it will help least. Publicans who really should read it and learn are those least likely to do so.<br /><br />One small point I disagree with is the proactive use of the term 'retro' and the the like to entice younger drinkers - these things tend to be cyclical and can just as easily fall out of fashion and turn people off cask beer. Particularly when cask beer seems increasingly in new wave pubs to be served in dimpled jugs which seem to have become as much a part of the retro Shoreditch hipster look as the handlebar moustache - and could be just as vulnerable to changing trends.Tom Unwinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-11398754531122915852011-09-26T12:30:24.698+01:002011-09-26T12:30:24.698+01:00It was quite interesting, though dare I mention a ...It was quite interesting, though dare I mention a lower rate of decline than the sector doesn't equal growth?Cooking Lagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830924433230427226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-51292729160557626902011-09-26T10:29:44.585+01:002011-09-26T10:29:44.585+01:00I haven't got last years report to hand but th...I haven't got last years report to hand but the formatting looks very good/improved. Much "lighter" in tone from first glance. So much so, that I might read it ;-)Rob Nicholsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14871887147718814739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30743480.post-25922289169066297302011-09-26T10:21:36.216+01:002011-09-26T10:21:36.216+01:00great work as always Pete. Look forward to reading...great work as always Pete. Look forward to reading it when I get a chance.<br /><br />Chalkboards and being offered tasters are surely two of the easiest methods to encourage poeple to try; is it something breweries should be suggesting to pubs or is it for the distribution companies to make such a suggestion do you think?beersiveknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13293913182389157112noreply@blogger.com