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Carlsberg UK launches new Tapsters brochure with more ales than before

Carlsberg UK has launched the 2016 edition of its award-winning Tapster’s Cask Ale Brochure with a fresh new look and an extended portfolio that now includes almost 250 ales.

Tapsters Cover MockupNow available to Carlsberg UK’s on-trade customers, the brochure has been redesigned with a stylish new-look to reflect the fact cask ale is enjoying a renaissance in the UK, led by trend-setting consumers who are seeking out flavour and character in their beer.

As part of the new design, the range has been segmented, making it easier to navigate, allowing publicans to identify the right range for their outlet and customer. It includes a foreword from beer expert Pete Brown and also highlights key facts designed to help licensees to maximise the benefit of cask ales in their outlet, using Cyclops Beer tasting notes and food matching suggestions.

In addition to the style changes, an enhanced selection of beers from craft cask brewers has been introduced, increasing the total number of cask ales permanently available by 31 to 87. As well as the Craft Selection and the better-known Tried and Trusted brands including St Austell Tribute and Marston’s Pedigree, a Local Heroes section promotes a variety of regional favourites.

New Tried and Trusted brands include big names such as Adnam’s Mosaic Pale Ale, Golden Sheep from Black Sheep Brewery and Oliver’s Island from Fuller’s amongst others. New Local Heroes include Otter Brewery’s Otter Ale and Otter Bitter, Upham Brewery’s Punter and The Rev. James from Brains. New to the Craft Selection this year are a host of smaller, and often award winning craft brands such as Titanic Brewery’s Plum Porter, Oracle and Shropshire Gold from the Salopian Brewery and Citra from Oakham Ales.

The Tapster’s Extra Choice range comprises more than 150 additional ales available on monthly rotation, catering for experienced cask ale drinkers looking for something different.  This is a range of lesser-known ales, often seasonal and handpicked from breweries across the UK, available through Carlsberg UK’s monthly Deals brochure. For the first time this year, the brochure also includes premium bottled ales such as Robinson’s Trooper.

The 2016 brochure provides a profile of all partner breweries and an overview of the cask ale category along with trends and opinions from key industry experts. It also provides valuable advice to help licensees ensure they achieve the maximum benefit from stocking the beers.

Commenting on the new range and brochure, Paul Waller, Director of Customer Service and Third Party Brands at Carlsberg UK, said: “Cask ale is a really exciting category at the moment and it’s a massive unique-selling-point for the on-trade, as consumers can’t drink it at home. We know that cask drinkers visit the pub twice as often as the average person and spend around £967 per year in pubs – almost double that of other drinkers*. They are also very influential in a group and will drive their friends into your venue if you have a good selection of cask ales, so it’s a massive opportunity.

“We are very proud that so many breweries have chosen to partner with us, enabling us to offer an industry-leading cask ale portfolio, and we are confident that our new brochure will be a valuable tool for boosting cask ale sales.”

More than 20% of all cask ale in the UK passes through Carlsberg UK’s 12 depots, all of which have been awarded Cask Marque accreditation, and the brewer is the only national brewer to hold this certification. This means that publicans can be sure that their ale arrives in top condition.

 

* Source: Cask Report 2015-16; calculated by multiplying YouGov figures for the mean number of days  per year when pubs are visited by mean average total spend per visit (including food, drinks, snacks etc).

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