Beer Range 21/10/09 15:50 Page 33
Tuesday November 3, 2009 – Intercontinental Hotel, London thePublican Monday 26/10/09 33
FOOD & DRINK
AWARDS 2009
RED LION INN
Cricklade, Wiltshire
Tom Gee
The Red Lion was already well known for its cask beer when the Gee family
took it over in summer 2008. Since then licensee Tom Gee has introduced
bottled imports and taken the business to new levels.
Describe the beer range
Nine real ales, ranging from 3.4 per cent ABV to 6.5 per cent, three keg lagers,
including Löwenbrau and Veltins, and a specialist beer pump with rotating
brands that have included Butcombe Blond, Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada,
Cotswold Lager and Sleemans Honey Beer. A beer cooler is stocked with 30
bottled beers from around the world.
How is quality ensured from cellar to glass?
The cellar has been refurbished since the takeover and three-tier self-tilting
stillages installed. All lines have been renewed and are cleaned with every
beer change and on Monday mornings. Glasses are Renovated every six
weeks.
What innovations have been introduced?
Tipple Boards enable customers to drink three third-pints of cask ale for the
price of a pint, and sight glasses in front of the handpumps enable them to
see the colours of the beers. Bottled beers are matched to daily changing
menu items.
How is the beer range marketed?
Bottled beers are listed and described in a beer menu on the bar while
draught beers ‘coming soon’ are displayed on THE FACTS
THE FACTS
a pole alongside pumpclips for beers on sale.
Guest beers are regularly updated on the • Type of pub: Rural
website.
ROYAL
freehouse
• Type of pub: Family- • Wet/dry split: 40/60
owned freehold
STANDARD
• Beer as percentage of
• Wet/dry split: 65/35 wet sales: 20%
• Beer as percentage of
wet sales: 72% OF ENGLAND
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Matthew O’Keeffe
The Reigning Publican Awards Pub of the Year, the Royal Standard is a 12th-
century pub that has retained its unique character thanks to owner Matthew
O’Keeffe.
Describe the beer range
Beers are chosen to reinforce the quality and heritage of the pub. Seven real
ales, including a mild, are always on tap, plus, on keg, Cotswold Brewery’s
lagers and wheat beer, Duvel Green, Chimay Tripel, Kwak and fruit ales.
Bottled beers include trappist ales and a new emphasis on hard-to-find British
ales.
How is quality ensured from cellar to glass?
After cleanliness throughput is most important – or it defeats the object of
giving more choice. Staff are trained to keep the cellar and glasswasher clean
and rotate stock, and quizzed on what they know about the range. Lines are
flushed through between cask changes and glassware is Renovated weekly.
What innovations have been introduced?
The Royal Standard has bought its own fonts off eBay to be free from brewery
tech services and culture clashes with brewery marketing departments. It
also has its own over-size branded, nucleated glasses.
How is the beer range marketed?
Chalkboards and take-home beer lists with tasting notes and background
information are used in the pub, customers are offered try-before-you-buy
and third-pint tasters. Its own glasses are available to buy. Marston’s Owd
Rodger is the pub’s flagship ale – it’s been sold there for more than 100 years.
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