Brewer’s good cheer for pint drinkers

BREWER Beamish & Crawford put pressure on rivals yesterday by announcing a price freeze for the remainder of the year.

The strategic move comes after other brewers increased prices as total beer sales in Ireland fell by 11.5% in the first four months of the year. The Cork-based brewer of Beamish Stout has not upped the price of its flagship drink since march of 2003.

Sales of draught beer and cider have fallen by 11.5% in the first four months of this year in pubs, according to figures from the Irish Brewers’ Association. The drop was 15% in Dublin.