TRIBUTE IN TOP 20 OF UK CASK ALE BRANDS

The huge success regionally and nationally of St Austell Brewery's flagship Tribute Ale has seen it storm into the top 20 of the UK's bestselling cask ales.

Tribute was the highest new entry - and the only Devon or Cornwall-brewed ale - to feature in the annual Brands Report 2008, just published by The Publican, which ranks the top 200 drinks brands sold in UK pubs based on annual sales.

Overall, Tribute was ranked in the 100-110 category for the UK's most popular drinks brands, putting it alongside international brands such as Pernod, Jim Beam and Belgium's Leffe Blond beer. Just being included in the report is huge coup for the Brewery but to jump straight into such a lofty position in its first appearance illustrates the rate at which Tribute's popularity, and sales, are rising.

Taking just real ales, the report, compiled by analysts Nielsen, shows Tribute now ranks in the top 20 from more than 500 cask ales sold in UK pubs.

Describing Tribute as the highest new entry in the top 200, the Brand Report says Tribute's impressive showing is, "a reward for consistent investment both in terms of marketing and quality".

The news comes as St Austell Brewery has just installed two new fermenting vessels to cope with soaring demand which has seen Tribute sales rise by 40 per cent year on year for the first three months of 2008. It follows a similar expansion project in 2006 to increase capacity after the Brewery broke through the million-pints-a-month barrier. This has already reached full capacity, even with the Brewery last year introducing a second daily brewing shift for the first time in its 156-year history. The latest expansion will allow the up to two million pints to be brewed each month.

James Staughton, St Austell Brewery Managing Director, said: "The amazing success of Tribute just keeps growing and this report clearly shows that as well as being the number one real ale in the South West we are making a big impact nationally.

"For a family-owned independent brewer of our size to have a top 20 cask ale is a fantastic achievement. What is most pleasing is that Tribute's growth, and that of the Brewery, is led entirely by customer demand for our uniquely Cornish ales.

"We're very proud of what is being achieved by the whole team and delighted to be investing even further in our St Austell brewing facilities to meet demand while ensuring the consistently high quality of our beers."

The last 12 months have seen significant growth in Tribute's profile regionally after it was named the South West's favourite beer in British Beer Awards run by Cask Marque and the Daily Telegraph.

Tribute is also the official beer of South West rugby through its sponsorship of the Tribute Leagues and this has helped drive the popular "Tribute - You've Earned It" marketing campaign which is playing a key role in driving sales.

Nationally, Tribute is continuing to expand its popularity and at any one time there will be more than 1,000 pubs across the UK carrying Tribute behind the bar either as one of their regular beers or as a guest ale.