Greene King Brewery is hoping to spread more cheer this Christmas as it launches its seasonal cask beers for November and December, including the return of the festive ale Rocking Rudolph.
The seasonal 4.2% cask ale has been the UK’s number one Christmas ale in the on-trade for the last decade and is filled with fruity esters and a malted toffee taste, as well as a crisp finish, providing the flavours of Christmas all in a pint.
For each pint sold of the popular festive beer, Greene King will give 5p (plus VAT) to Macmillan Cancer Support with the money raised going towards helping the charity to continue to provide vital care and support for people living with cancer.
Rocking Rudolph is available for all customers to stock in November and December, including free trade pubs and leased and tenanted.
Pubs that stock Rocking Rudolph will also be able to receive bespoke decorations this year to bring even more cheer into the pub and also reference the support for Macmillan through the sales of the beer. With festive hat shaped drip mats, bar bunting, branded baubles and helpful opening time posters, Rocking Rudolph is decking the pubs this Christmas.
Since partnering in 2012, the UK’s leading pub company and brewer has raised over £20 million for Macmillan as the charity’s top employee fundraising corporate partner.
For November and December, Fireside, the 4.5% ruby winter ale will also be available for pubs to stock as it returns this year as a seasonal cask beer. With a mellow fruity finish and grapefruit and lemon citrus characters, this ale is a delicious addition to the bar for the colder seasons.
For those pubs with guests who love a pint of Abbot Ale, for December and into the New Year, Abbot Reserve will be available to order from the seasonal calendar and is a firm favourite for beer lovers. The 6.5% premium ale is bursting with fruit cake and toffee flavours and is loved by many a beer lover.
Jack Palmer, Head Brewer at Greene King Brewery, said: “You can’t find a more festive beer than
Rocking Rudolph and it’s always the brightest and boldest beer on the bar at Christmas. We are proud to continue our fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support through the sales of Rocking Rudolph and to also raise awareness for such an important cause at this time of the year. Last year we gave over £36,000 to the charity from Rocking Rudolph and this year we hope to raise even more.”
“Winter is also the perfect time to introduce those deeper and bolder cask beer styles and Fireside and Abbot Reserve are the perfect beers to offer during those chillier months. If you are looking for the ideal ale selection as we head into winter, then our seasonal ales have got you covered.”
Greene King is excited to finish the year on a high as it remains #1 cask brewer in the UK and looks forward to launching a new seasonal calendar in the New Year with more exciting launches and collaborations.
Rocking Rudolph, Fireside and Abbot Ale Reserve all form part of the wider Fresh Cask Releases calendar, a portfolio of 13 limited-edition cask beers available at specific times throughout the year.
To order from the Fresh Cask Releases Calendar contact your Greene King sales representative or call 0345 600 1799.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Greene King is the country’s leading pub company and brewer with c.2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland.
At Greene King we are passionate about delivering our purpose to ‘pour happiness into lives’. That’s for our customers, our team, our pub partners, our suppliers and the communities in which we live, operate and serve. Founded in 1799 with offices in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire we employ around 40,000 people across the group with three divisions: Greene King pubs, Destination Brands & Ventures, and Brewing & Brands.
- Greene King pubs: Greene King pubs is our mainstream pub brand located where people and communities come together; pubs enjoyed in cities, towns and villages throughout the country with clear ambition to be “The Nation’s Most Loved Pub Brand”. Pub Partners runs our tenanted and leased pubs business and Hive Franchise pubs.
- Destination Brands & Ventures: Destination Brands is a portfolio of distinct brands which includes Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Flaming Grill that bring friends and family together, delivering great service, quality and value for money for a range of eating out and drinking occasions. Venture includes Hickory’s, Premium (Crafted Pubs & Metropolitan Pub Company) and Hotels which operate autonomously of Greene King’s managed pub brands.
- Brewing & Brands covers the brewing sides of the business. Quality ales are brewed at the Westgate brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. Our industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best and our premium beers, Level Head and Flint Eye, brewed for the modern-day drinker.
Media Contact: Greene King Press Office, PressOffice@greeneking.co.uk
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