Big brewers threaten consumers’ rights with plans to hijack the iconic cask handpump.

For generations, a handpump on the bar has been a mark of assurance. Now, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company – one of the world's largest brewery conglomerates – has resorted to misleading consumers by hijacking the handpump to serve its “Fresh Ale” product.

CMBC says this is “preserving the beloved hand pull ritual that delivers the traditional theatre of serve that ale is famed for”.

CAMRA’s Real Ale, Cider and Perry Campaigns Director, Gillian Hough, said: “Consumers deserve better than Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) play acting at serving cask – a product they claim to champion. Instead, CMBC have closed breweries and removed cask lines from bars. “There’s room for all kinds of beer on the bar, but brewers should champion their whole range honestly, proudly serving their keg beers through keg fonts rather than using handpumps and misleading their customers.”

So far, CMBC has three beers in their ‘Fresh Ale’ range. They are Wainwright Gold, Wainwright Amber and Hobgoblin IPA, and will have ‘brewery conditioned beer’ displayed on the pump clip.

In the 70’s, when cask first came under threat and CAMRA was founded, the loss of a handpump was often the canary in the mine – not just for individual venues, but also for the beer industry as a whole. Then, as now, CAMRA members are taking the issue straight to those involved.

You can help fight the handpump hijack by following these simple steps:

• Let us know if you come across ‘Fresh Ale’ in your local. You can do this by using the ‘Send an email to the CAMRA branch’ button at the bottom of the relevant WhatPub venue page.
• Send us photos of ‘Fresh Ale’ pump clips. We need to find examples!
• If in doubt, Ask if it’s Cask. We need consumers to make licensees aware of the issue of misleading dispense and explain why you won’t be buying it.