Ale lovers will raise a glass to Britain’s national drink when pubs around the country celebrate Cask Ale Week, from Friday 28 September to Sunday 7 October.

With this year’s theme of “try before you buy”, the beer quality organisation Cask Marque is encouraging everyone to visit at least 12 of their local real ale pubs during the Week to toast Britain’s brewers – as well as to qualify for an exclusive, limited edition Cask Ale Week Tshirt.

Using the ‘World’s Biggest Ale Trail’ feature on the free CaskFinder app, beer enthusiasts will be able encouraged to use their smartphone to scan QR codes on Cask Marque certificates in participating pubs.

CaskFinder also provides a complete list of the 200 beer festivals taking place during Cask Ale Week, including contact details, admission prices and maps.

The app also includes:

  • Details of the cask beers on sale in each pub
  • Description of nearly 1,400 beers from 220 brewers (using the Cyclops Beer descriptors)
  • Your opportunity to rate beers to help other ale fans
  • Find similar beers
  • Beer Blog – from award winning writer, Pete Brown, that gives you an inside track on the beer industry
  • Beer of the Week – a featured beer of interest

CAMRA is supporting Cask Ale Week with some free pint offers as well as a number of beer festivals. There are also tutored ale tastings, meet the brewer nights, new beer launches, exclusive brewery tours, beer and food matching events and of course, ‘try before you buy’ in around 8,000 Cask Marque accredited pubs across the country.

Paul Nunny, Director of Cask Marque said: “Cask Ale Week is all about attracting people back into local pubs and raising awareness of, and love for, our national drink!

“CaskFinder gets over 50,000 uses a month, and feedback suggests that people like the comprehensive details we provide; the unbiased nature of the information; the user-friendliness; and of course the fact that it’s free! It’s really popular among ale drinkers and we’re expecting a surge of interest during Cask Ale Week, when people will be wanting to find out about pubs that offer “try before you buy” as well as beer festivals and the special “World’s Biggest Ale Trail” offer.”

To download the CaskFinder app and make the most of Cask Ale Week, just click here: http://bit.ly/yXkIim

Or to watch the CaskFinder app demonstration video, click here: http://bit.ly/zsF8QO

For any further information please contact Sarah Stevenson or Rachael Jones at Seal on 0121 616 5800 or rachaeljones@seal.uk.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

CaskFinder, available for iPhone and Android, is designed to help consumers enjoy and appreciate Cask Ale wherever they may be in the UK! Combining data from the Cask Marque pub quality inspection scheme and the Cyclops® beer standardisation initiative, both industry sponsored bodies, CaskFinder has a host of features to aid customers in the pursuit of ale drinking.

On top of the NEW World’s Biggest Ale trail, CaskFinder has a range of features for any beer enthusiast:

CaskFinder uses the location-awareness of the smartphone to show customers their nearest Cask Marque award winning pubs – 8,000 to choose from

  • Details of the cask beers on sale in each pub
  • Description of over 1,000 beers from 250 brewers using Cyclops Beer database
  • Rate beers to help other ale fans
  • Find similar beers
  • Beer Festivals – a complete list with contact details, admission prices and maps
  • Beer Blog – from award winning writer, Pete Brown, that gives you an inside track on the beer industry
  • Beer of the Week – a featured beer of interest
  • New Bar code reader for bottled beers – try it on your Tiger beer to get the full Cyclops descriptors and suggested beers for you to try

Cask Marque was set up in 1998 to promote cask ale but in particular beer quality.

The 8,000 award winning Cask Marque pubs receive 2 unannounced visits a year and the qualified assessors check up to six beers on the bar for temperature, taste, appearance and aroma. Any adverse consumer feedback triggers a mystery drinker visit.

The app allows consumers to keep a pub guide in their pocket with stacks of useful information. Currently 46% of consumers who drink cask ale recognise the Cask Marque plaque (NOP survey).

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