But now cask needs more support than just its delivery and care in the cellar once it leaves the brewery. For it to even exist for decades to come we need the Government to recognise cask so it can get protected by UNESCO.
That’s why we’ve been backing the Craft Beer Channel’s campaign: Keep Cask Alive. In their YouTube series, founders Jonny Garrett and Brad Evans explore the UK’s cask scene, visiting breweries, pubs, festivals and farms, sharing stories, facts and opportunities about cask to help prevent its decline.
I featured in the series’ final episode to talk about CAMRA and our fantastic members and volunteers who are the centre of our grassroots campaigning, and the importance of simple conversations down your local to raise awareness of cask beer.
This episode also sees Jonny visit Westminster to chat with Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Beer, Tanya Antoniazzi MP and the introduction of the government petition to get cask beer Intangible Cultural Heritage.
It’s incredible that we’ve passed the 26,000-signature mark, and that we have already had a speedy positive response from the UK Government. It promised an open public call for submissions on cask beer to be part of their new intangible cultural heritage inventory.
Our goal is to reach 100,000 signatures to get it debated in Parliament, which could be one of the most vital turning points for cask yet. It’s time for cask beer to be recognised for its unique British heritage and the demand consumers are asking for.
There are so many different beer styles to enjoy at the bar on cask, from classic recipes passed down thought history to bold and innovative new flavours, there is a cask beer for everyone.
Not only do we want to ensure breweries and publicans enjoy more cask sales, but consumers deserve the right to learn everything this drink has to offer.
We know brewing cask, as well as keeping and serving it, is a skilled profession that takes time and expertise to master. UNESCO status can equip brewers, publicans and consumers with the education required to keep cask as living heritage. To keep this British tradition pulsing through our community pubs, where people find their next favourite pint all the time.
And I think it’s important that we recognise UK brewers who have remained committed to producing cask beer during some of our worst economic times. Brewing cask takes time, effort and skill, and on behalf of CAMRA and our 145,000 members I’d like to express our thanks for bringing us the best quality pints, despite battling rising costs and many challenges.
To see pubs and breweries simply survive isn’t enough, we want to see them thriving. Consumers have already lost enough of their locals and favourite beers. Let’s not let cask beer be added to the growing list of losses the beer and pub sector and its consumers have suffered.
By Ash Corbett-Collins, Chairman, CAMRA
