Demand for cask ales from Surrey-based Hogs Back Brewery is nudging close to pre-Covid levels, as the brewer secures listings with a number of pub operators for its established cask brands and new additions. The brewer estimates it will have increased its on-trade outlets by around 250 by this summer, compared to the same period last year.
Hogs Back’s flagship cask ale Tongham TEA is being listed in all Mitchells & Butlers’ cask pubs in London. The traditional, award-winning amber ale will also be poured soon within the Star Pubs & Bars estate, and in Greene King pubs for three months over the summer.
Newly-launched Big Squeezy IPA is being listed by Stonegate, who are making it available for the next five weeks to most of their 3,000 cask ale pubs. It will also be on sale until July in around 50 Youngs pubs in Surrey and Greater London. Big Squeezy is an aromatic 3.4% IPA, brewed with real lemons.
At the same time, Surrey Nirvana, Hogs Back’s 4.0% session IPA, brewed with Cascade hops from the brewer’s own hop garden, will be served in selected Youngs pubs and as a guest ale in 200 Fuller Smith & Turner pubs.
Hogs Back Brewery managing director Rupert Thompson said: “We’re delighted with this renewed interest in our cask ales from pubs across the south east. Covid of course dented our cask business with pubs and it’s taken some time to bounce back, but we’re certainly seeing demand on the rise again and are feeling optimistic about our cask portfolio.
“We’re particularly pleased that operators are not just stocking our best-seller Tongham TEA, but are prepared to try other cask ales including our seasonals, like Big Squeezy. Serving established regional brands that drinkers will recognise, as well as new beers that refresh the offer on the bar, are both important in building a successful cask business.
“We’re looking forward to growing our cask business with more pubs and bars across our heartland in London and the south east.”
As well as cask ales, Hogs Back brews a range of beers in keg, bottles and cans. A number of its beers include Fuggles or Cascade hops grown on the hop garden next to the brewhouse, which travel just yards from ‘field to firkin’, meaning hops are added to the brew at their freshest.
-ends-
Issued on behalf of: Hogs Back Brewery
By: ShielPorter Communications
Further information:
john@shielporter.com / 07734 054389
ros@shielporter.com / 07841 694137
Notes to editors
Hogs Back Brewery
- Hogs Back Brewery was founded in 1992 in Tongham, in the heart of the traditional Surrey hop growing area.
- Its flagship brand Tongham TEA (Traditional English Ale), is one of the leading regional ales in the South East. The first beer brewed by Hogs Back in 1992, it has won multiple awards including runner-up in CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain in 2000.
- Other awards include CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Britain 2020 for A over T (Aromas over Tongham), a 9% ABV bottle conditioned barley wine and a Bronze medal in the International Cider Challenge 2019 for its traditional cloudy cider, Hazy Hog.
- The Hogs Back Brewery range includes a number of award-winning draught, bottled and canned beers, demonstrating its ability to combine brewing expertise and tradition with product innovation to create distinctive, memorable beers.
- Hogs Back planted its original, 3.5-acre hop garden in 2014 before moving a larger site in 2019. In September 2022, they harvested hops from 6,000 plants, and their Hop Harvest celebrations attracted 3,000 people over a weekend.
- Hogs Back cultivates three hop varieties: Fuggles – used in its flagship TEA; Cascade – used in Hogstar lager; and Farnham White Bine, a local variety it revived from near-extinction.
- As part of its drive to become an ever more sustainable brewer, Hogs Back is aiming to eliminate single use plastic. They have introduced refillable glass Snorters (3.5 pints) and Snifters (1 ¾ pints), and to date have removed 12,000 PETs, earning them Plastic Free Champion status from Surfers Against Sewage.
- www.hogsback.co.uk.
Issued on behalf of: Hogs Back Brewery
By: ShielPorter Communications
Further information:
john@shielporter.com / 07734 054389
ros@shielporter.com / 07841 694137