In the first lockdown breweries were forced to pour millions of gallons of cask ale down the drain.

However, breweries such as Tap Social in Botley that make keg beers have not had to dispose of stock as it is still in date.

But what is the difference between cask and keg beer? Cask ale, also known as cask-conditioned beer or ‘real’ ale, is beer that undergoes secondary fermentation in the barrel and kegs hold beer that has finished fermenting in the brewery and is completely ready to drink.

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Dave Richardson from Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) explained why pubs and breweries had to let cask ale go to waste.

He said:“Cask ale has a shorter shelf life, it can stay in the cellar for a month or two but after that is done for and once you open it you have to use it within a few days. Whereas the keg beers, the gassy ones like largest and bitters, they will keep for a longer time. That is why traditional hand pumped cask ale is the one to really suffer.”

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