On the Ale Trail – Beer Festivals to the fore

Join the ale trail

Top tips on making your beer festival the event to remember and the talk of the town.

Beer festivals are pushing their way into club calendars as the growing interest in cask ale comes to a head. Like any event, however, careful organisation and planning is necessary; an unthought-out profit generating idea can soon turn into a costly exercise.

Items to be considered include:

• Date – what month? Are you prepared for all weather conditions? • How long should the beer festival last? • Do you need any special licence? • How large is the event – how many beers? How many people are expected? • Who is your target market? Are you attracting families etc? • What equipment do you need for dispense and cooling? • Do you need to provide any catering and entertainment? • What are your staff requirements? • Set up an action plan with deadlines. • Budget for sales and costs.

How many beers are you going to put on sale?

The number of beers you plan to put on is crucial given that any unsold beers will be costly. Eight beers meanyouhavetosell576pints.Attwopintsperperson, that means you need to cater for over 200 people over the duration of the festival. Can you accommodate them?

Enlist the support of members in promoting the festival to guests. Inform your local paper and CAMRA branch of the activity. This will encourage local interest – a useful tool if you ’ re recruiting for new members.

Where possible, sell tickets in advance. If an entry fee isn ’t appropriate (or possible, due to club rules) look at a discounted redemption price per pint. Ask members which beers they would like to be included.

Your suppliers will be an important part of your success. Having your beers stillaged correctly is vital, and most importantly in the summer, serving the beers cool at between 11°C and 13°C (i.e. cellar temperature) is a must.

Invite local brewers to host ‘ slots ’ where they can present their own beers, explain their provenance and do tutored tastings.

Food available?

On the day, ensure staff are well briefed with the information on all the beers and run a beer competition to involve members. Although you are focusing on beer, ensure there ’ s plenty of food available; beer creates a good appetite and another opportunity to sell.

After the event, have a review meeting. Did you achieve what you set out to do? Have you made the profit you envisaged? What could you do better next time? Canvas the opinion of your members. You can bet they ’ll offer their honest opinions!

TOP TIPS AND TIMELY ADVICE

1. Check legal requirements

Contact the local licensing officer and confirm details.

2. Decide on the date

Try to tie in with other suitable dates e.g. bank holidays, Rugby World Cup, local carnivals or national holidays. If it’ s inside how will this impact on your existing trade? If outside will it rain and get muddy? Think of electrical supplies, lighting, tents, noise, and security.

3. Book your equipment in plenty of time 4. Choose your beers

Ask your locals for their favourites and try to get as wide a range as possible. This is your chance to educate people.

5. Offer food

Keep it simple or go wild, either way this adds to profit and fills empty tummies.

6. Involve everyone – not just ale fans

Cater for all tastes, soft drinks and snacks for the kids, wine and lager for non-beer lovers.

7. Arrange a competition

Have a vote on the beer of the festival. It’ s fun and gives people a sense of ownership.

8. Offer free taster sessions

This encourages sales; non-beer drinkers will try before they buy. Have some tasting notes; ask people to add their own.

9. Advertise your event

Get hold of the local paper; this is a newsworthy event! Get a taxi firm to sponsor it and offer cheap lifts home. Posters, word of mouth, web site announcements, any way you can think of – get the whole community involved and create a real buzz.

10. Enjoy the event

This is a great chance to increase sales and show off to the neighbourhood. Get it right and you will be the toast of the town. Next year could be bigger and better.

USEFUL CONTACTS

• CAMRA – www.camra.org.uk t: 01727 867 201 e: camra@camra.org.uk

• Cask Marque – www.cask-marque.co.uk t: 01206 752212. e: paul@nunny.fsbusiness.co.uk; annabel@cask-marque.co.uk