Star Pubs has collaborated with 30 UK brewers to create a free cask ale training playbook designed to address publicans’ most common concerns about cask, and to drive sales.
Marmalade Best is made exclusively for Star Pubs by Timothy Taylor’s and raises fund for loneliness charity Marmalade Trust
Called Hello Cask, the training is part of a wider package of cask ale support provided by Star Pubs — including a guest ale programme aligned to emerging trends — which has helped its pubs outperform the market in the year to date.
Its launch coincides with Cask Ale Week, which Star Pubs is also marking by releasing Marmalade Best, a limited-edition ale aiming to raise up to £20,000 for loneliness charity Marmalade Trust, highlighting the role of the great British pub in bringing people together.
Marmalade Best is brewed exclusively for Star Pubs and Heineken UK on-trade customers by Timothy Taylor’s. For every pint sold during the three months it is available, 20p per pint sold will go to Marmalade Trust, which Star Pubs has supported since 2023.
Research among participating brewers into common barriers to stocking cask ale has determined the topics covered in the Hello Cask training. It debunks myths about the difficulty of delivering cask with modules such as a step-by-step guide to conditioning, common cask mistakes, and tips and tricks to ensuring consistent top quality.
The training comes in bite-sized chunks which can be accessed by publicans and their staff at any time. To keep it engaging, the content is presented in a variety of formats, from checklists to videos filmed at breweries.
“We know publicans are busy,” said Caren Geering, central operations director for Star Pubs. “With Hello Cask they can benefit from training without the need to leave their pubs, including sessions filmed in breweries. Thanks to the participation of brewers around the UK, the training provides a truly national approach to the cask category.
“In a cost of living crisis, customers are seeking out quality and an experience they can’t replicate at home when they choose where to go out. A great cask ale offer will deliver this. Nearly 70% of our estate currently stocks cask ale. We’re committed to getting even more on board and to supporting our pubs in achieving the perfect pour — it’s the way to outperform the market in any drinks category.”
She added: “We’re starting to see green shoots of growth in the cask sector, with younger pub-goers and women discovering it, particularly in high street venues. Over time, we expect this trend to take off in community pubs. More fruity flavours, such as the citrus notes of Marmalade Best, are proving particularly popular with the younger demographic.
“Cask is a product that people love to talk about and lends itself to discussion, making it the ideal drink to raise funds to aid people experiencing loneliness.”
