Spirits on Tap: Leading Brewer Unveils Haunted Highlander Cask Beer for October

Greene King, the UK’s No.1 cask ale brewer, is embracing the spooky season with the launch of a brand-new seasonal beer alongside the return of some ghostly classics.

Summoning the spirits of the Scottish Highlands, Haunted Highlander, is a 3.4% ABV ruby ale brewed in collaboration with Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar, Scotland. This bewitching, full-bodied ale is crafted with the finest rye, delivering deep, warm flavours perfect for autumn nights.

Haunted Highlander celebrates Belhaven’s proud brewing heritage, which spans more than 300 years. Now part of Greene King since 2005, Belhaven is home to Scotland’s No.1 ale, Belhaven Best, and the country’s No.1 stout, Belhaven Black. Inspired by Scotland’s supernatural folklore and the atmospheric Highlands, Haunted Highlander brings a taste of mystery to cask this Halloween.

Making its return is Old Spooky Hen, the seasonal rebadge of Old Speckled Hen. Available to existing customers and new customers on request, this seasonal version brings extra theatre and decoration to bars during the Halloween period.

Also rising from the shadows is Old Ghostly Hen, the Halloween edition of Old Golden Hen. This lighter, golden ale offers a spooky seasonal alternative for cask drinkers looking for a refreshing option.

Amina Ali, Brand Manager at Greene King, said: “Halloween is an occasion that brings theatre and atmosphere into venues, so we’ve created a new seasonal beer to capture the moment while also having fun with some of our permanent casks. Our seasonal releases are designed to engage and excite drinkers, and Haunted Highlander offers something different as we move into colder weather with its richer, deeper flavours.”

Haunted Highlander is a part of the Greene King Fresh Cask Releases calendar, which features 15 limited-edition beers available at select times throughout the year. The calendar celebrates the seasons, sporting occasions, and unique collaborations with other brewers.

The seasonal cask calendar is available to all outlets, including independent venues, in both firkin and pin formats (36-pint containers). Greene King’s pin units are a flexible option for outlets with lower throughput, offering the chance to trial seasonal beers alongside the permanent range and keep drinkers coming back for something new.

To order Haunted Highlander or our Old Speckled Hen family for Halloween head to the Greene King Value for Venues website: www.valueforvenues.co.uk/  

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. 

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

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