What to do with beer left in pubs?

United Kingdom | Pubs will remain shut for the foreseeable future. But what is going to happen to the beer in their cellars, estimated at 50 million pints?

The BBC reported on 13 April 2020 that some 250,000 hl of unsold draft beer could be knocking around in pubs, which may go to waste if pubs remain closed into the summer because of covid-19. Publicans are currently unable to sell their lagers, ales and ciders – except for takeaways and home deliveries.

Tom Stainer, Chief Executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) estimates that the UK’s 39,000 pubs have, on average, 15 kegs in their cellar at any given time. The best-before dates on pasteurised beer – including most lagers – are usually three to four months after delivery. Those for real ales and other unpasteurised beers are usually set at six to nine weeks.

So most stock could go to waste if social distancing measures remain in place for several months.

Many breweries and distributors have offered to take back kegs at no charge once the lockdown, introduced on 20 March, is over.