A North East brewery has teamed up with a rapper to encourage people to try cask ale as the drink is in decline.

With cask ale sales in steady decline for over a decade, pub closures during lockdown saw the industry take a further hit.

Now the cost-of-living crisis is putting further strain on the drink but the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham is determined promote cask beer in a unique way.

The brewery enlisted the support of British rap artist, Jester Jacobs, as part of its ‘Drink Cask Beer’ campaign to save the national drink and recruit new drinkers to the category.

Black Sheep commissioned Jester Jacobs to write and perform an honest, light-hearted rap about all things cask beer - detailing everything from the qualities of the drink, to the unique brewing process, as well as the wider issues facing the cask beer industry and British pubs.

The Northern Echo: Rap artist Jester Jacobs has produced a rap for Black Sheep Brewery to promote cask ale Picture: Black Sheep BreweryRap artist Jester Jacobs has produced a rap for Black Sheep Brewery to promote cask ale Picture: Black Sheep Brewery (Image: Black Sheep)

The rap video, part of Black Sheep’s year-long ‘Drink Cask Beer’ awareness campaign, is a bold attempt to attract younger drinkers to the category.

In turn, Black Sheep hopes to help stabilise the decline of this most iconic British drink.

Charlene Lyons, chief executive at Black Sheep Brewery, said: “Cask beer is facing unprecedented challenges right now.

"As a drink that can only be enjoyed at the pub, the cost-of-living crisis is having a double impact on cask beer – not only are increasing energy prices making it more expensive to brew, but the cost-of-living crisis also means people have less disposable income to spend on evenings at their local.

“At Black Sheep, cask beer is, and always has been, our passion.

"We firmly believe the cask category needs genuinely disruptive campaigns like these to help it back into growth.

"We know that younger repertoire drinkers are key to the future of cask, but these drinkers need cask brands to be more visible, vibrant and relevant – both at the bar and away from it too.

"So we’re hoping that through our partnership with Jester Jacobs, we can help broaden the appeal of cask beer to a younger and more diverse audience.”

Discussing the partnership with the brewery, Jester Jacobs added: “It's easy to forget how much we missed pubs when we couldn't visit them.

"They are often a place of sanctuary and need our support more than ever.

“It's my pleasure and privilege to write a rap for Black Sheep Brewery, go to the pub with my pals and for this to be considered a positive contribution to a struggling industry.”

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