CAMRA launches Handpump Hijack campaign

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. Their announcement can be found here. 

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’s initial press comment on the launch of ‘Fresh Ale’ can be found here: Handpump “hijack” will confuse consumers says CAMRA – CAMRA – Campaign for Real Ale 

We anticipate that more breweries may release ‘Fresh Ale’ – and believe that the practice of filling casks with brewery conditioned beer has become more common in recent years, if little known or actively advertised as such.