Sunday 4 April 2010

Cask Ale Week: I Dunno, But...

Is it that much of an Event? I mean, there were lots of different things going on, but it doesn't feel like there's an Event. You know, some focal point, something that the week builds to, something that really tells people who are participating and watching, that we're celebrating something worthwhile.

I was thinking back to last year. I remember that 'launch' at the Betjeman Arms - Oz Clarke pulling a pint for Melanie Sykes to the accompaniment of the chirruping of Looney Tunes cartoon crickets. I know it's all a new thing, but I wondered last year, why in Spring? Why not fold it into the real celebration of our beer culture - GBBF?

Reading the blogosphere last August, there was a palpable feeling that something exciting was happening at Earls Court. I was at the early part of the Trade Session, and I can't ever recall seeing so many people smiling and contributing to a hugely upbeat atmosphere. That's the beauty of a meeting-place and marketplace for cask. I didn't get that sense last year for Cask Ale Week, and it was missing again this time.

I went out for a few beers on Wednesday - hit Cask (becoming a favourite), had a few at The Rake. But, there was no branding, no advertising to suggest this week was any different to any other. I enjoyed my beer - I always do. But I wasn't offering any thoughts to The Week as I imbibed.

I don't know if Cask Ale Week will prove to have legs. Seems to me it offers a period for sober reflection about all the challenges facing the beer we like and the places we drink it, among the Greene King 'mobile pubs' and 'Ale-Team' hilarity. Me? I can't wait for GBBF...

3 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

Isn't Cask Ale Week meant more for the general run of pubs rather than places like Cask and The Rake where it would be preaching to the converted?

Cooking Lager said...

I thought it was just a largely meaningless general marketing load of tosh like "eat more chips week" or "national sausage week"

Sid Boggle said...

Dunno Mudgie: the pub-finder gadget on the 2010 CAW website is a bit patchy, but I would have thought that so-called 'virgins' using it would expect to be directed to good ale pubs. Business is business. I don't know if it's up to the pub/operator to get listed.

Another thought occurs - did the pubs who experienced greater cask sales last year see that growth sustained? I wonder if anybody asked?