Mine’s a pint of Unesco… brewers chase heritage status for British cask ale
It is one of Britain’s most historic drinks, still sold in thousands of pubs across the nation, but cask beer has long been in decline.Besides suffering from a reputation as an “old man’s drink” and the divisive debate over the “cellar temperature” at which it is served, the number of establishments selling it, and the volume and value of sales, have all dropped dramatically in recent years.Last week, a petition was launched to protect the “historic and traditional serving method” that was “unique to the UK”, calling for the government to recognise the production and serving of cask ale as a Unesco intangible cultural heritage, akin to Belgian beer culture, Arabic coffee and French baguettes.No British product yet holds the status, and the UK only ratified the 2003 Unesco convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in March 2024.Jonny Garrett, who launched the petition and created the Keep Cask Alive online documentary series, said cask ale was a crucial part of British history.
All beer used to be served in casks, but the practice faded from the beginning of the 20th century as easier-to-maintain, highly carbonated keg lagers became popular,“We’re the only nation that meaningfully holds on to this tradition,” said Garrett, who loves cask ale for its “softer, moussier” feel in the mouth,“We’ve ended up with this incredible brewing tradition of about 4% malt-led, bittersweet beers that is, in the brewing scene, the envy of the world,Yet we tend to pass over it and fetishise American, Belgian and German brewing,We have our own world-famous heritage.
”He added that drinking cask ale was like “tasting how our ancestors enjoyed beer”.The initiative has been backed by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) and several breweries, including Timothy Taylor’s, Five Points and Shepherd Neame, which together own hundreds of pubs around the UK.Garrett, who also runs the Craft Beer Channel on YouTube, hopes to raise awareness about cask ale, which still makes up about 10% of draught sales – more in strongholds such as Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.Garrett estimated that 3% to 4% of the market is craft keg beer, yet it “gets most of the headlines”.The campaign also seeks to protect breweries – the UK had 100 fewer in January 2025 than the year before – as well as barley and hop growers.
According to the British Hop Association, only about 50 hop farms remain in the UK.Earning cultural heritage status would provide a multi-pronged boost, said Garrett.The government would be beholden to protect the culture around cask ale and it could provide an “extra tool for bargaining” against raising alcohol duty or business rates.It would also provide funding for research and education, helping to bring in younger generations.When Belgian beer culture was recognised in 2016, Garrett said it led to an “incredible surge in interest, both within Belgium but also in terms of tourism.
That would be of real benefit, particularly now, when times are so tough for pubs and breweries”.Pete Wells, chief executive of Wells & Co in Bedfordshire, said that cask ale had been an “important part” of the brewery’s 149-year history.“The fantastic campaign is something we are pleased to support, and hope that this will honour what we have always known – that cask ale is a heritage worth protecting, while rejuvenating interest in a continuously changing market.”Camra’s chair, Ash Corbett-Collins, said that cask beers were threatened by global brewing conglomerates absorbing historic breweries – “only to ignore and eventually disregard their beers”.Garrett said there were rays of hope, with rising interest among the young craft beer crowd.
He added that there were several reasons cask ale might be ripe for resurrection: it is generally lower in alcohol, more affordable and made more naturally – which should appeal to younger drinkers.“A superb pint of cask ale is at the heart of what makes a great British pub,” said Richard Bradbury, managing director of Theakston Brewery in North Yorkshire.“It would be fantastic to have that recognised and celebrated by Unesco.In this era of protectionism, it may, in time, motivate a lower rate of excise duty on cask beer.”Corbett-Collins added: “The incredibly skilled brewers producing cask beer deserve to have their artisan trade respected and protected.
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