As the warm spring weather approaches and a bank holiday weekend looms, it is the perfect time to plan trips to your local pubs and take the opportunity to explore new places, so why not be rewarded with some unique prizes as you do so.
During their special anniversary year, celebrating 180 years of continuous brewing at the original site founded by John Arkell, the family brewery are challenging drinkers to visit as many Arkell’s pubs as they can; spread across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Hampshire. The trail will be hosted on Cask Marque’s CaskFinder App.
CaskFinder is a free app that you can download on your mobile. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you register and join Arkell’s trail.
The app allows you to record your visit to the pub, learn about beers and rate the ones you try, and – best of all – win prizes too. Simply locate the Cask Marque Certificate of excellence in the pub and scan the QR code to collect scans and win prizes.
Prizes include limited edition 180th polo shirts, bottled beer, overnight stays, meals out, and a private brewery tour with Head Brewer, Alex Arkell.
Alex Arkell, sixth-generation of the Arkell family said “We’re really excited about this ale trail. It celebrates so many things; our milestone anniversary, the Great British pub, and interesting, fresh beers, produced by our local brewery. We want people to venture out of their comfort zone, show support and rediscover the charm of authentic pubs and a fresh selection of delicious beers.”
You don’t have to visit every Arkell’s pub to win prizes, with prize points at 10,20,30,50, and 75 scans. Just start clocking up your visits and if you scan all 85 of Arkell’s qualifying pubs you could win the top prize!
Roger Protz, world leading beer writer, historian, and real ale campaigner was at Arkell’s last week writing a piece for the autumn edition of BEER magazine and he helped with the brewery’s first scan of the ale trail at Arkell’s Strawberry Thief Pub in Swindon.
Roger expressed his best wishes to Arkell’s in its 180th anniversary year. “It’s brilliant to find a family brewer still producing fine beers and serving them in great town and country pubs. I was impressed by the new pub, The Strawberry Thief, Swindon; with impeccable cask ales and splendid food, including pizzas from an on-site oven. Carry on brewing, Arkell’s!”
Arkells’s have a selection of other special activities are planned for 2023 during the brewery’s 180th year, these include weekly brewery tours for the public – bookable online, and a Big Birthday Bash on 16th September with live music and lots of beers to sample.
