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A new partnership has been created which enables brewers of cask craft ales to have their products distributed to more of the UK. It will see the
Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) team up with distribution firm Ooberstock, but will it spell the end of drinking beer brewed locally?
One of the main things which marks a
craft brewery out from the multinationals is the fact that the beer cannot be purchased everywhere. There is something nice about going to a new place and drinking the local beer and knowing that it can't be found in the pub back at home. Locals often get attached to their local brew and earnestly drink it due to its intrinsic quality of being part of the furniture of the local landscape. Would a pint of Rivet Catcher taste the same in Surrey as it does in Newcastle or how about a Black Cuillin in Birmingham?
Real ale has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance recently and is being embraced by a younger demographic, so offering a greater choice of ales could be good for business.
Steven Pike, director of the Mystery Dining Company, said: "A diverse range of ales is increasingly part of a more rounded 'experience' that pubs are offering their customers." On the other hand he also said: "It helps to give personality and purpose to pubs in a world where there is a widening choice of experiences."
So what happens when craft ales are available all over the place? Is it possible that demand will outstrip the supply? Could there not be enough Taunton Gold to go around Somerset let alone the rest of the country?
The answer may be that providing greater choice will allow customers to vote with their feet and decide whether or not to embrace beers from other parts of the country. It is certainly nice to be given the option.
