In March 2024, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) launched ‘Fresh Ale’. These are brewery-conditioned versions of their cask range, which are then kegged and served through cask handpumps. They positioned this as a way to ‘revive’ cask by giving it a longer shelf life. One of the factors that makes cask unique is that it doesn’t leave the brewery as a finished product. Instead, the conditioning that completes the brewing process is done at the pub, and relies on the skills, timing and experience of the staff and licensee.

There are two main implications for cask beer and consumers that CAMRA opposes. Most noticeably the dispense method is misleading, but this also creates a more general threat to cask as the beer is not cask-conditioned, but the use of ‘Fresh Ale’ marketing seeks to imply that it is.

CAMRA has a long-standing policy on the issue of using a handpump to dispense non-cask beers – which entered CAMRA policy as ‘misleading dispense’ in 1988/89.  If you are aware of a pub selling 'Fresh Ale' like this, please let us know. For more information, click here.

How often have you gone into a pub for a pint and been given a glass that's got an inch of froth in it? Youasked for a pint, you paid for a pint so why didn't you get a pint? For thefull story, and what you can do about it, visit our national web site at www.camra.org.uk.
Or you could go to another pub that does give you a full pint when you askfor one.
You can also write to your local Trading Standards office. If there areenough complaints, perhaps the industry WILL realise that we aren't happy withthe current situation and the Government will keep to its promise to protectyou and me from short measure.
And, of course, you can join CAMRA and help us to campaign. To join on-line,visit our national web site.