Lucky Saint and Ossett Brewery join Cask Marque

Beer quality accreditation organisation Cask Marque has welcomed Lucky Saint and Ossett Brewery as corporate members. Jessica Mason reports.

The companies join the stakeholders in the not-for-profit scheme which currently has 41 members made up of brewers, pub retailers and trade associations.

Ossett Brewery currently has all of its own pubs accredited with Cask Marque already. But, by joining as a corporate member, the new move will allow Ossett to share benefits with its free trade outlets while also receiving beer quality reports on products assessed by Cask Marque anywhere in the UK.

Lucky Saint joins as Cask Marque expands accreditations to include all beer with the new Perfect Pint Promise accreditation. With the rapid growth of the low and no alcohol category, the UK’s biggest independent alcohol-free beer brand continues to ensure standards are high through its own quality programme.

Improving beer quality and yields

Describing the reasons behind becoming a corporate member, Ossett Brewery managing director Edd Simpson said: ”We have worked with Cask Marque in our own pub estate and seen the benefits. We now want to take this support to our free trade customers so they can improve yields and with improved beer quality, their rate of sale and ensure our products are served in the best possible condition.”

Speaking to the drinks business, Cask Marque executive director Paul Nunny admitted that he recognised the “potential” within the burgeoning low and no beer sector and said: “Draught in low and no is effectively a new sector with great potential growth.”

Making assurances about beer quality checks, Nunny told db that Cask Marque has “set standards on production through Salsa + Beer that check beer quality at the brewery gate” and also added that the accreditation organisation has “worked with BBPA and gained their input and approval”.

Nunny explained that “in pubs, beer lines must be cleaned every seven days as beer with no alcohol can quickly become contaminated and can increase in alcohol strength” and revealed that, because of this the organisation is already “working closely with Diageo and Heineken and now Lucky Saint”.

A shrewd move as the category continues to grow

Highlighting the fact that “quality has always been fundamental to Lucky Saint and speaking more broadly on how delivering on that quality ad supporting pubs and people with the best experiences possible was fundamental,  Lucky Saint on-trade director Will Snowden said: “From brewing to dispense, every stage plays a role in delivering a great alcohol-free beer experience. As more venues expand their alcohol-free draught offer, maintaining consistently high standards is vital. It’s an area we think deserves a lot of time and attention, and I’m very pleased to be working closer with Cask Marque as their first-ever alcohol-free beer member. Alongside our own Superior Serve programme, the Perfect Pint Promise accreditation will help support pubs in delivering the highest quality alcohol-free beer as this category continues to grow.”

Looking at the business angle too, Nunny additionally pointed out that, for a pub, “having a product on draught can increase throughputs by seven times” but, he warned that it was only suitable for some pubs with the throughput because the publican “must sell a keg a week to maintain beer quality”.

Customers’ expectations have never been higher

He also pointed out how important the accreditation was and insisted that “customers’ expectations on their visit to the pub have never been higher and these need to be satisfied” and highlighted that “this can be achieved by serving great beer and having trained bar staff”.

Offering reassurances, Nunny said: “This is why we now star rate cellar like the food hygiene ratings and have widened our accreditations to include Cask Marque and well as the new Perfect Pint Promise accreditation covering all beer”.

This, he reiterated, was why it was so important to have the support of beer businesses that are also interested in maintaining the calibre of beer brands they make available to pubs and bars. Not just when the beer leaves the brewery, but at each venue, in each cellar and at each point of sale.

He added: “Having corporate members support is so important to deliver our programme on the perfect serve. The input from our new members will assist us to achieve this objective.”

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