Greene King Takes Flight with First-Ever International Cask Collaboration

Greene King, one of the leading cask brewers in the UK, is launching its first-ever international cask collaboration with Uiltje Brewing Company, recreating the popular Dutch beer, Bird of Prey, as a seasonal cask ale.

The project began in 2024 with the two brewers discussing how they could adapt one of Uiltje’s most popular beers, Bird of Prey, as a cask edition. The goal was to continue to innovate in the cask category and show its versatility while also offering support for a foreign brewer to launch its name in UK pubs.

Following Greene K

ing’s visit to Haarlem and the Uiltje Brewery, the recipe for Bird of Prey was crafted in Bury St Edmunds and the beer was recreated as a cask ale that also aligned to the brewing process at Greene King.

Bird of Prey is a 5.2% fruity, hoppy IPA, full of citrus and tropical flavours. The Greene King brewing team, with support from Uiltje, worked hard to match the balance of hop aromas and flavours that many people in the Netherlands enjoy with Bird of Prey.

The original Bird of Prey beer continues to be produced by Uiltje Brewing Company as a keg product and at 5.8%. However, the cask edition available in the UK will be at 5.2% ABV to meet consumer preferences in the UK, which is for a slightly lower ABV in golden ales.

The golden cask ale will be available for customers to order, including independent venues, in the UK throughout May and June.

Uiltje Brewing Company is based in Haarlem, Netherlands, and was founded in 2012 as a contract brewery before transitioning into its own brewing in 2016. They are renowned in the Netherlands for their bold, experimental, and inventive beers, and have an impressive output of new beers every year.

Alan Fulcher, Technical Brewer at Greene King Brewery, said: “Bird of Prey is our first-ever international collaboration, and it’s been a fantastic opportunity to work with the brilliant brewers at Uiltje. It has been a great challenge to craft a beer that was not originally brewed as a cask ale, and this really showcases the flexibility of cask and the variety it can offer drinkers. We have conducted consumer research on Bird of Prey, and feedback is really positive so I am confident it will be a hit for the new seasonal calendar.”

Aditya Parupudi, Master Brewer at Uiltje Brewing Company, said: “We are excited to make our first cask debut with Greene King and we can’t wait for guests to try the beer in pubs. Working with the brewers at Greene King, who are legends, has been a great experience and it’s been so interesting to take one of our favourite products and give it a British cask finish for people to enjoy on the bar this summer across the UK. It really is going to blow people’s socks off.”

The 2025 Fresh Cask Releases calendar includes 15 limited-edition beers available at special points throughout the year to celebrate the seasons, sporting occasions and collaborations with other brewers.

Greene King also offers its seasonal cask ales in pin units (36-pint containers), as well as firkins, for customers looking to order an additional seasonal cask for the bar with a lower throughput to complement the permanent range and add excitement.

To order from the Cask Fresh Releases Calendar head to Greene King Value for Venues website: www.valueforvenues.co.uk/

ENDS

For more information, please contact hollysmith@greeneking.co.uk.

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 acrossthe 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.

For more information, please contact hollysmith@greeneking.co.uk.

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