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Craft keg available through small brewers' scheme for the first time

Published:  26 June, 2015

The Society of Independent Brewers has begun to sell craft keg beer through a revamped version of its Direct Delivery Scheme for the first time.

The DDS scheme has been rebranded as Beerflex in what SIBA said was an attempt to "grow the commercial opportunities for its members in a changing beer and pubs market".

The revamped Beerflex scheme will also include a new service which links with pub companies' central distribution for consolidated deliveries.

SIBA said brewers would now be able to price their beers based on beer styles and ingredients rather than being constrained by alcoholic strength as before.

It will now supply a full array of formats - keg, cask and packaged beers.

The DDS scheme was launched in 2003 to provide its microbrewing members with easier access to local tied or managed outlets within larger pub groups. Members deliver their beer direct to pubs through a centrally-administered system.

It was also used to supply beer to the First Quench off-licence group before its demise and has one remaining off-trade customer ­- Edinburgh Woollen Mills.

SIBA managing director Mike Benner said: "DDS has gone from strength to strength in line with the growing demand for high quality local beers.

"As a not-for-profit scheme for SIBA members it now helps around 550 brewers to supply 4,000 different beers and is a trusted partner to more than 2,500 pubs within pub companies."

Commercial director Nick Stafford added: "Beerflex ensures that, alongside our brewer members' own efforts, we continue to provide an excellent route to market they might not otherwise be able to enjoy, as well as responding to the changing needs of our valued pub company customers."

Proceeds from the scheme are put back into SIBA to support the delivery of its strategic aims.

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