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Cask Marque: The Mark of Quality Cask Ales

Wherever you travel, cask ales differ in quality. Going into a public house can mean taking a chance with your taste buds. It would be nice if you could have a small sample before parting with hard earned money - a sort of "try before You Buy". This would alleviate the often embarrassing situation of asking for a refund. Well now you can with CASK MARQUE.

HEY! WHAT EXACTLY IS "CASK ALE", OR "REAL ALE"?
All is explained at the above link.

THE CASK MARQUE

Founded by the brewing industry, there are now over 2100 premises as part of the Cask Marque real ale quality scheme, with 16 inspectors all of whom are qualified brewers.

Cask Marque Trust
Seedbed Centre, Severalls Park, Colchester,
Essex CO4 4HT

Tel : 01206 752212
Fax : 01206 751198

CASK MARQUE COMES TO NORTHERN IRELAND

However, I found Raymond Beaton, who once worked at the Bass Glen Road plant and who was willing to take the task onboard. During his training period Wetherspoons, one of the members of Cask Marque who are dedicated to quality, heard that Northern Ireland would soon be having its own assessor. They contacted Paul Nunny to arrange assessment of all their outlets in the province.

One bar (Lisburn) did not have the ale available and could not be included in the program. Wetherspoons thus failed the clean sweep, but Martin Groundwater and Phil Annett from the company have asked for Lisburn to be assessed in the near future now that the ale is back on tap again.

The award took place at The Spinning Mill, Ballymena, and Paul came over specially to present the company with their certificates.

Interest in the scheme has been shown from other parties and I have been discussing the possibility of more outlets achieving certification.

All in all, a great day for cask ales and ale quality in the province.

Outlet/Address	Renewal_Date	Sponsoring_Brewery	Accredited
Wetherspoons 35 Bedford Street Belfast BT2 7EJ County Antrim	31/10/2004	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Spirit Merchant Regent Street Newtownards BT23 4LP County Down	31/10/2004	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Tuesday Bell Units 1&2 Lisburn Square Lisburn BT28 1TS County Antrim		J D Wetherspoon plc	No
Central Bar 13-15 High Street Carrickfergus BT38 7AN County Antrim	31/01/2006	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Spinning Mill Broughshane Street Ballymena BT43 6EB County Antrim	31/01/2006	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Diamond The Diamond Londonderry BT48 6HP County Londonderry	31/10/2004	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Ice Wharf Strand Road Londonderry BT48 7AB County Londonderry	31/10/2004	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Old Courthouse Castlerock Road Coleraine BT51 3HP County Londonderry	31/01/2006	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes
Linen Hall Townhall Street Enniskillen BT74 7BD County Fermanagh	31/01/2006	J D Wetherspoon plc	Yes

Cask Marque is asking for customer feedback - which means YOU. Their web site is at www.cask-marque.co.uk

You can e-mail them at info@cask-marque.co.uk

PLEASE, CONTACT THEM NOW!

A final quote from John Cryne, Past Chairman of CAMRA:

"CAMRA sees quality as a key issue affecting cask beer and thoroughly welcomes the Cask Marque initiative as a method of positively tackling the quality issue."