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 For pubs which serve the perfect pint
Cask Marque is an independent organisation that serves to promote cask ale. Cask Marque stands for:
- Excellence in the service of cask ale.
- Awarded to the licensee rather than to the pub.
- Jointly funded by brewers and retailers.
- Inspections made twice a year.
Press Release - October 2006
PUB SCORES A TREBLE IN QUALITY ASSESSMENT
Drinkers
at a Flintshire pub have good reason to celebrate after their local was judged
to have faultless beer for the third year in succession.
The
Blue Bell Inn in the village
of Halkyn has received
the Cask Marque, an independent quality stamp for traditional, hand pulled ale.
Each
of the Blue Bell’s four cask ales, including its trademark Blue Bell Bitter,
received 100 per cent during an unannounced inspection by the local Cask Marque
assessor.
Landlord
Steve Marquis said: “We are thrilled with the result, which continues our
unbroken run in Cask Marque assessments and sends out a clear message to
customers about the quality of our beer.
“The
award matters because it isn’t just us saying how good our beer is. Cask Marque is independent and we never know
exactly when the inspections will take place.
It means every beer we serve has to be consistently good.”
Steve
purchased the Blue Bell in April 2003 and has made a real effort to improve
retail standards in all areas of the business, including the cellar.
He
said: “When I first took over the pub it had a poor reputation. The beer was bad, the cellar was dirty and so
I quickly replaced all the equipment and set about making small improvements
every day.
“There
was no way I was going to call in Cask Marque until I was happy with the beer
quality. To get full marks on our first
inspection, and every inspection since, has been hugely rewarding and helped
change the pub’s reputation.”
The
range of ales at the Blue Bell has now increased from two to four. Blue Bell Bitter, brewed exclusively for the
pub by Facers in Flintshire, is available all the time, while the remaining
three ales are regularly rotated.
Steve
said: “We have offered almost 300 different beers since I started at the Blue
Bell. We promote details via our website
and the extensive range has helped secure entry in the Good Beer Guide for the
last three years.
“We
have also been nominated for the 2006 Good Pub Guide and a national CAMRA award
for Cider Pub of the Year.”
Alongside
great drink is also a selection of fine food.
The Blue Bell serves meals daily using fresh, locally sourced produce,
including meat from North Wales Buffalo on Halkyn Mountain.
Since
its foundation in 1997, Cask Marque has inspected around 100,000 pints of beer
and accredited nearly 4,000 of the country’s 36,500 pubs estimated to serve one
or more cask conditioned ales.
Assessors
rigorously check the ales on sale at a particular pub for their temperature,
appearance, aroma and taste and they award top performers the coveted Cask
Marque plaque. It is valid for 12
months, after which the assessors return to carry out a fresh inspection.
Cask Marque director Paul Nunny said: “Steve and the team at the
Blue Bell Inn should feel justifiably proud of this excellent achievement,
which not only recognises the effort they put into serving the perfect pint but
also acts as an independent guarantee of quality for customers.
“All
too often, publicans don’t appreciate the care and attention cask conditioned
beers require and then run the risk of losing custom by serving pints that are
below par.”
The
Blue Bell Inn, on Rhosesmor Road,
was built in the mid 1700s and offers spectacular views over the Dee and Mersey
rivers plus the distant Cumbrian mountains and
Pennine hills.
For
more information, plus details of menus and guest beers, visit www.bluebell.uk.eu.org.
ENDS
For further information please contact
Nick Trueman or Jo Mathers at Seal Communications on 0121 200 0780
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