CMBC to remove well-known beer brands, CAMRA says

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) reports that Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Co is to remove eight well-known cask beers by the end of the year.

Banks’s Brewery, in Wolverhampton. Last month, CMBC announced a proposal to close the site in the fall of 2025

Despite an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority which found that the merger of Marston’s and Carlsberg would not have negative effects, it has now been confirmed that the consolidation of the companies will be followed by the consolidation of their brands, says CAMRA.

Eight draft beers and a further three cask brands will no longer be available to pubs. These are:

• Banks is gentle
• Banks’ sunshine
• Bombardier
• Eagle IPA
• Jennings Cumberland Ale
• Mansfield Dark Smooth
• Mansfield Original Bitter
• Marston’s Ancient Empire
• Marston’s 61 Deep
• Ringwood Boondoggle
• Ringwood Old Thumper

“This is yet another example of a globally owned business obliterating British brewing heritage,” said Gillian Hough, CAMRA’s director of real ale, cider and perry campaigns and deputy chair.

“I hope this change will mean space on the bar for licensees to stock guest beers from local independent breweries, but realistically I suspect that is not what CMBC is planning.

“This loss of consumer choice is the inevitable result of a brewing conglomerate driven by accountants and the bottom line. This is a sad and disappointing decision that puts both the history and future of British brewing at risk.”