A new innovation by CMBC offers pubs a way to serve high-quality ales with longer shelf-life and less hassle.

What is Fresh Ale?

Fresh Ale is a new product by Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC), a joint venture between two of the UK’s leading brewers. Fresh Ale is designed to offer pubs and consumers a great-tasting alternative to traditional cask ale, with some key advantages.

Cask ale is a quintessential part of British pub culture, but it also comes with some challenges. Cask ale has a very short shelf-life of only three days once opened, which means that pubs with low turnover often struggle to keep a range of ales on tap without wasting beer or compromising quality. Cask ale also requires specialised equipment and skills to store, condition, and serve properly.

Fresh Ale solves these problems by using a different brewing and packaging method that preserves the flavour and body of cask ale, but extends its shelf-life to up to 14 days once opened. Fresh Ale undergoes a controlled second fermentation in the brewery, and then it is kegged in 30L units that keep the beer fresh and easy to handle. Fresh Ale does not need any extra gas or cooling to serve, and it can be poured from a standard hand-pull or electric pump.

What are the benefits of Fresh Ale?

Fresh Ale offers a number of benefits for both pubs and consumers. For pubs, Fresh Ale means:

• A wider choice of ales to offer customers, without the risk of waste or loss of quality.
• A simpler and more convenient way to store and serve ales, without the need for specialised equipment or skills.
• A more profitable and sustainable way to run their business, by reducing costs and increasing sales.

For consumers, Fresh Ale means:

• A great-tasting and high-quality ale, with a similar flavour and body to cask ale.
• A more diverse and exciting range of ales to choose from, with different styles and brands available.
• A more enjoyable and satisfying pub experience, with a beer that suits their preferences and occasions.

What is the impact of Fresh Ale on pub culture?

Fresh Ale is not meant to replace cask ale, but to complement it and enhance the pub culture in the UK. Cask ale remains a popular and distinctive product, with over a third of drinkers saying it’s what makes a pub truly special. However, the ale category, and cask in particular, faces some challenges in the current market. As footfall in the On Trade has declined, only 24% of pubs have enough regular throughput to turnover more than one ale on their bar.

Fresh Ale addresses these challenges head-on, by offering a viable solution for pubs to diversify their ale offerings and attract more customers. Fresh Ale also appeals to a wider audience, including younger and female drinkers, who may not be familiar with or fond of cask ale. Fresh Ale can help to introduce them to the world of ales, and encourage them to explore different options and flavours.

Initial trials of Fresh Ale in pubs across the UK have shown promising results, with customers agreeing that cask ale and Fresh Ale both shared the great taste of traditional ale. John Clements, Vice President of Marketing at CMBC, commented, “Fresh Ale is a critical element of our plan to reinvigorate the On Trade ale category, supplementing, not supplanting, traditional cask ale.”

How to try Fresh Ale?

If you are interested in trying Fresh Ale, you can find it in selected pubs across the UK, where it is available under different brands and styles. You can also visit the CMBC website to learn more about the Fresh Ale initiative, and to find out where you can enjoy this innovative and delicious product.

Fresh Ale is a game-changer for Britain’s beer and pub culture, offering a new way to enjoy high-quality ales with longer shelf-life and less hassle. Whether you are a pub owner, a cask ale lover, or a curious drinker, you should give Fresh Ale a try and see for yourself how it can enhance your pub experience.

In conclusion, Fresh Ale is a pioneering initiative by CMBC that aims to reinvigorate Britain’s beer and pub culture by offering a great-tasting alternative to traditional cask ale, with a longer shelf-life and less hassle. Fresh Ale benefits both pubs and consumers by providing a wider choice, a simpler way, and a more profitable and sustainable way to enjoy ales. Fresh Ale also complements and enhances the cask ale category, by appealing to a broader audience and introducing them to the world of ales. Fresh Ale is available in selected pubs across the UK, and you can find out more on the CMBC website. Don’t miss this opportunity to try Fresh Ale and see how it can transform your pub experience.