Publicans from across the north see the light at Black Sheep launch

Established in 1992, the brewery has led the way in cask ale production, winning a string of awards including The Good Pub Guide’s Brewery of The Year two years in a row. The launch of this illuminated hand pull will help raise the profile of cask ale to attract customers through its new brightly lit look, and a position for the glass that will, for the first time, allow customers to see the whole process of pulling a perfect pint.

Black Sheep M.D. Paul Theakston said: “We want to move the dispense of our cask Best Bitter out of the dark corners of the bar and put it proudly on a well-lit centre stage.

“We believe this will help us to attract a greater market share through new customers and remind established fans of the product’s great credentials. We are sure that where we lead, the cask ale market will swiftly follow.”

Niki Triffit from Albert’s and The Cattleman’s Association in Harrogate said: “We have been trialling the new unit for a couple of weeks now, and it has been well received by our customers– they say that it tastes even better out of the new pump! Clearly that is psychological, but it is definitely helping our sales and it looks great on our modern bar.”

Steve Irvine from The Dog & Gun in Potto, North Yorkshire said: “Ale has never had a glamorous image, but the new unit will finally allow customers to see the magic going on as the pint is pulled - and once they see that, then cask ale will sell itself.”

Sue Matthews from Langdon Beck Hotel, Forest-in-Teesdale said: “Cask ale has traditionally been seen as a bit fuddy duddy. The new unit gives real presence to Black Sheep at the bar, and its modern look will definitely appeal to new audiences.”