Cask Ale: Intangible Cultural Heritage

Hannah Spencer Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Westminster Hall

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I commend the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) for introducing the discussion incredibly well. This issue cuts directly to the beating heart of our local communities, our economy and our shared cultural identity. It is always a pleasure to see the Minister in her place—Members always look forward to her responses, and she will not be found wanting today.

I want to speak about the economic boosts, tourism potential and craft in relation to what the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter said. The potential merits of recognising the production and serving of cask ale as intangible cultural heritage under the UNESCO framework are vast. Cask ale is not just a commercial liquid in a glass; it is a living, breathing testament to an artisanal craft passed down through generations. It requires a meticulous partnership between the maltster, the farmer, the brewer and, most uniquely, the publican, who has specialised expertise.

[Hannah Spencer (Gorton and Denton) (Green)]

For the record, I do quite like an after-work pint. Constituents I represent run the fantastic independent Courier Brewing Co., and they make cask ale because they love it, but rising business costs and big international breweries dominate markets and make it harder for them to carry on. A pint of cask ale is a huge part of our heritage—as British as fish and chips. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that protecting it requires urgent action, such as giving pub tenants the right to request an independent beer on tap, like in Scotland? That will not solve everything, but it is a start.

[Jim Shannon]

I certainly do, and I am sure the Minister has taken note of the hon. Lady’s comments. In an age of mass-produced, globalised conformity, cask ale remains stubbornly and beautifully local.

I want to bring a Northern Ireland angle to this vital debate, ever mindful of the hospitality industry, our independent producers and the social fabric of our communities. Elevating local crafts to the status of intangible cultural heritage would send an unequivocal message to policymakers at every level that our traditional liquid heritage must be actively nurtured, protected and legally accommodated, rather than stifled. The hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter highlighted the importance of that when setting the scene. He also mentioned British wealth and prosperity, and we are part of this Great Britain. I am proud to be British, probably more so than some people where I live. The safeguarding of intangible heritage can transform a region: look at the spectacular revival of the drinks and spirits sector across Northern Ireland. The liquid arts are part of our DNA in Strangford and across Northern Ireland.

It does not brew cask ale, but the Echlinville distillery was Northern Ireland’s very first farm distillery. It crafts spirits from field to glass, by growing, harvesting and floor malting its own barley on site. That underlines the craft that goes into brewing ale and takes place in distilleries. Hinch distillery is another example; it brews triple-distilled whiskeys that are winning global acclaim. Rademon Estate, through the passion of Fiona Boyd-Armstrong and her husband David, also promotes craft distilling and successfully marries historic estate heritage with a thoroughly modern, sustainable vision, powered by its own on-site hydro and wind energy.

When we look at cask ale and the craft industry across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, those distilleries exemplify the preservation of the craft, the celebration of local raw materials and an unwavering commitment to quality that cannot be replicated by a mass production line. What do those world-class distilleries have to do with the perseveration of cask ale? It is simply this: they prove that liquid heritage is an economic and cultural engine. When we protect and celebrate traditional production methods, we do not just create jobs in the mash house or the bottling hall; we create a tourism boost and boom. We give people a reason to visit Strangford, stay in the guest houses, eat in the restaurants and sit in our historic pubs.

It is worth reminding the House that even a giant like Guinness was once a traditional cask product, naturally conditioned in wooden barrels; however, the commercial shifts of the mid-20th century saw the multinational brewers abandon the cask system entirely in favour of highly processed, pasteurised kegs to maximise global shelf life. That is precisely why this debate is important and why we must act now. It is important for our independent craft brewers, farm distilleries and local publicans to step up and keep these historic skills alive.

By granting cask ale intangible cultural heritage status, we would protect the fragile living traditions that global corporate models have left behind. By seeking UNESCO intangible status for the production and serving of cask ale, we are not dwelling on the past but securing the future. We are protecting the fields of our farmers, the livelihoods of our independent publicans and the heritage of our people. I urge the Minister to work closely with the devolved Administrations to support our independent producers and back this campaign, ensuring that our unique hospitality and manufacturing heritage continues to thrive for generations to come.