To mark Cask Ale Week, Black Sheep Brewery has enlisted the support of British rap artist Jester Jacobs, as part of its Drink Cask Beer campaign.
Black Sheep has commissioned Jester to write and perform an honest, light-hearted rap about all things cask beer. It everything from the amazing qualities of the drink, to the unique brewing process, as well as the wider issues facing the cask beer industry and British pubs.
Part of Black Sheep’s year-long Drink Cask Beer awareness campaign, the video is an attempt to attract younger drinkers to the category and help to reposition cask beer as a diverse, progressive, and relevant drink in today’s broad market. In turn, Black Sheep hopes to help stabilise the decline of this most iconic British drink.
Charlene Lyons, chief executive of Black Sheep Brewery, said: “Cask beer is facing unprecedented challenges right now. As a drink that can only be enjoyed at the pub, the cost of living crisis is having a double impact on cask beer.
“Not only are increasing energy prices making it more expensive to brew, but the cost of living crisis also means people have less disposable income to spend on evenings at their local.
“At Black Sheep, cask beer is, and always has been, our passion. We firmly believe the cask category needs genuinely disruptive campaigns like these to help it back into growth.
“We know that younger repertoire drinkers are key to the future of cask, but these drinkers need cask brands to be more visible, vibrant, and relevant — both at the bar and away from it, too. So we’re hoping that through our partnership with Jester Jacobs, we can help broaden the appeal of cask beer to a younger and more diverse audience.”
Jester said: “It’s easy to forget how much we missed pubs when we couldn’t visit them. They are often a place of sanctuary and need our support more than ever.
“It’s my pleasure and privilege to write a rap for Black Sheep Brewery, go to the pub with my pals, and for this to be considered a positive contribution to a struggling industry.”
Charlene added: “Cask beer plays a vital role in community pubs and is a genuine point of difference for the pub versus drinking at home. But the cost of living crisis is posing a very real threat to this beloved category and our beloved British pubs. That’s why we’re encouraging those who can to get behind our campaign, and ‘Drink Cask Beer’!
“We want to see the new government support pubs, and we want drinkers to get out to support their local too. To quote Jester Jacobs: ‘Liz Truss should discuss saving pubs as a priority. You can do your part by drinking beer of high quality!’.”
