The brewer said that several of the axed beers will be available in other formats, such as Banks’s Mild which will be sold on keg and in cans moving forward but not on cask.
Meanwhile, Jennings Cumberland ale, Marston’s Old Empire IPA and Ringwood Boondoggle will continue to be sold as bottled beer despite the cask format being delisted.
Explaining the decision, a CMBC spokesperson said that where demand has declined it has had to make the difficult choices to delist beers.
“CMBC is passionate about cask ale and delivering a sustainable, successful future for this important part of British beer culture,” the spokesperson said.
“Like any brewer, we are always reviewing our lines to best appeal to our consumers and help grow cask ale while delivering the highest quality brews.
“We continue to invest in and launch new cask ales as well as support popular traditional cask ales ranging from Banks’s Amber Bitter to Marston’s Pedigree.”
CAMRA disappointed with decision
However, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said that the move realises fears that many of its members had following Carlsberg’s acquisition of Marston’s 40% stake in CMBC in a deal worth £206m.
CAMRA said that this latest move was further blow to brewing, consumer choice and industry jobs, citing separate moves such as CMBC’s proposal to close Banks’s Brewery in Wolverhampton next Autumn.
Gillian Hough – the real ale, cider and perry campaigns director and vice chair at CAMRA – described the decision as another example of a globally owned business “wiping out UK brewing heritage”.
“I hope that this change will mean space on the bar for licensees to stock guest beers from local independent breweries, but realistically, I suspect this isn’t what CMBC plans,” added Hough.
“This loss of consumer choice is the inevitable outcome of a brewing conglomerate run by accountants and the bottom line. This is a sad and disappointing decision that puts both the history and the future of British brewing in jeopardy.”