RIGHT BEER, RIGHT NOW
BY JASON CADDY
SUPPLY ISSUES, GAS SHORTAGES, THE PANDEMIC, LOW AND NO BEERS, SUSTAINABILITY. JASON CADDY REPORTS ON WHAT’S HOT IN THE BEER CATEGORY.
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t was a very different world when I last wrote about beer back in March 2019. Times were simpler then and a feature like this would typically touch on the brands setting the heather alight and the buoyancy of the beer market and how customers were voting with their feet, and what was trending, etc. Fast forward a couple of years and you can add supplier issues, C02 shortages, and the pandemic to the mix. Then there’s sustainability and low and no alcohol beers too. Let’s unpack it all. David Brown, owner of The Palais in Glasgow has been affected by the double-whammy of beer and gas supply issues but one is causing him more sleepless nights than the other. He said, “We get all our stuff from Inverarity Morton and they have been up there and done a really good job. Molson Coors has also been really upfront about any issues. “It seems to be a keg issue on the whole. Brewers can’t get their hands on kegs in closed businesses that they simply need to empty and refill. “If I can’t get a certain beer it’s not a huge problem, but if I don’t have C02 I can’t pull any beer and I’m having to shut down all 11 lines. I have to say that trying to get gas in the last few weeks has been an absolute shocker. “I won’t name the company I use but they now offer no weekly service anymore – you must call in for one and, on top of that, I ordered our normal weekly supply and was told ten working days and so we waited and waited, but nothing. “We must have called five or six times and were put on hold for about 40 minutes and then told it would be 15 days. Once it got to 19 days I just went to another supplier and filled up the back of the car and took it to the pub myself.” This year’s Sunday Mail Pub of the Year winner, The King’s Arms, hasn’t felt the pinch yet, but it’s still a concern for co-owner Mikey Lennon. He said, “It’s all a bit of a worry. For the last six weeks, we have struggled with beer deliveries, but Star Pubs & Bars have been great and done everything in their power to give us any headsups and they have allowed us to buy out from them at wholesalers. Their main objective is to keep us operating.”
Many of you will also be aware of the fact that those pubs that are tied are set to gain new protection after MSP Neil Bibby’s Tied Pubs Bill was passed at Holyrood in March. His Bill creates a statutory code and independent adjudicator to regulate brewers in case licensees are being exploited by mark-ups. With a scarcity of supply, I’m sure you’ll all appreciate your beer more than ever and perhaps it’s widened your suppler catchnet if you’re not tied and prompted you to buy in more craft beers from local breweries. According to CGA, an extra 4,000 UK pubs, bars, and restaurants are now stocking craft beer on draught – meaning that 36% of all UK on-trade outlets had a craft beer offering in 2020. While the SIBA British Craft Beer Report says that 24% of customers are more likely to visit a pub with a decent craft beer selection. Orkney Brewery is a case in point. It’s going great guns. Said Commercial Manager Craig Steven, “Orkney Brewery beers are all about the quality of flavour. Their popularity has already ensured the small brewing team are back and busy, brewing our exceptional quality cask and premium bottled beers. “Alongside our renowned and recognised established beers, we have added more new world hop flavours, with the introduction of Island Life Session IPA. Our new beer heralded a revamp of the branding, strengthening our position, with a more contemporary appeal that still oozes Orkney class. “Our Island Life IPA is special, much like life on the islands. Orkney has been regularly recognised as one of the finest places to live in the British Isles. So, like the easy-going enjoyment of your personal island retreat, with Island Life Session IPA, your customers can take their time, relax and indulge.” What about customers’ beer-buying behaviour post lockdown? Said David Brown, who as well as The Palais also owns The Record Factory in Glasgow, “We are Molson Coors led and have a guest tap on a weekly rotation and we sell a lot of that and a lot more customers are looking to try new products. DRAM OCTOBER 2021 9
