Nearly half of Arkell’s landlords have now been awarded Cask Marque accreditation for serving the perfect pint of cask-conditioned ale.
And this week the brewery is celebrating their award with three more landlords: Dave Howells at The Boundary House and Pete and Bev Neal at The Moonrakers, both in Swindon and Terry Sullivan at The Punchbowl, Woodstock.
Backed by 45 of the country’s leading brewers and pub companies, Cask Marque accreditation is only awarded to licensees whose ale passes a series of rigorous independent beer quality audits.
Since its foundation in 1997, Cask Marque has inspected around 135,000 pints of beer and accredited over 6,000 of the country’s 36,500 pubs estimated to serve one or more cask conditioned ales.
Cask Marque director, Paul Nunny, said: “Arkell’s should feel justifiably proud of this excellent achievement, which not only recognises the commitment the brewery has made to serving the perfect pint but also acts as an independent guarantee of quality for customers.
“All too often publicans don’t appreciate the care and attention cask beers require and then run the risk of losing custom by serving pints that are below par.”
Alex Arkell, Brewer at Wiltshire family brewery, Arkell’s, said: “I started my working life at the sharp end: Running a pub where I was behind the bar every day. It was there I learned the importance of having delicious-tasting, consistent beer – because if we didn’t deliver the perfect pint, we’d be on the receiving end of direct criticism – especially me as the son, grand-son and great-grand-son of brewers!
“Good beer starts in the brewery, and finishes as it’s pulled through the lines and into a beer glass. At the brewery it’s our responsibility to ensure our beer leaves the brewery in absolutely top condition. Then the responsibility is passed to our landlords who look after the beer properly from barrel to glass. When I began working in the brewery last year I felt that the best sign of beer quality in a pub was the Cask Marque sign which appears outside pubs guaranteeing that inside you will get a great pint of cask ale.”
Arkell’s is aiming for all its landlords to be Cask Marque accredited.