50 million pints of beer and cider across the UK may be poured down the drain if clubs, pubs and other public venues do not reopen by summer because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Most barrels are likely to pass the three-month best period, leaving publicans without much of a choice but to return full barrels to the brewery or document the moment they pour away their precious beverages.
In an interview with The BBC, Tom Stainer, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: “It’s a very sad waste of all the work and talent that goes into producing great beer.
“People won’t get to drink it and all those resources have been used up for nothing.”
He estimates that of the 39,000 pubs in the UK, each has around 15 barrels or 1,320 pints in its cellar. This means around 51 million pints could end up down the drain.
Pub2Me are now inviting pubs to register their items for collection or delivery. Each pub will show their menu with a selection of drinks options they can offer for delivery and collection.
The landlady of the Ram Inn, Keris De Villiers, told the BBC: “We could do takeaways but that would mean selling beer on the corner of a very small pavement. That wouldn’t be socially responsible, with the need for people to keep their distance from one another. The whole situation is heart-breaking.
“Our brewer literally talks to his tanks when he’s at work every day. People really care about the beer they’re making. It’s a craft and people are passionate about it.”
Some pub landlords decided to get rid of the useless beer by pouring it down the drain but they may have to document it to prove they haven’t profited and to be exempt from paying duty on alcohol.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this story with your friends and family!
Replaced!