It's tempting to assume that any beer pulled through a hand pump is real ale, but that's not always the case.

Real ale is cask-conditioned, meaning it undergoes secondary fermentation in the container it's served from. It's unfiltered, unpasteurised, and contains live yeast, giving it a distinctive, evolving character.

Brewery-conditioned beer, by contrast, is matured and clarified at the brewery. It's typically filtered and pasteurised, then packaged in kegs, bottles, cans, or bright casks. Some pubs serve it through hand pumps, which can make it look like real ale, but it isn't.

Breweries and pubs often do this for consistency, shelf life, and ease of service, not necessarily to mislead. But it does blur the lines, and clarity matters.

A Case in Point

Marston's (now part of Carlsberg) markets three of its core beers: Wainwright Gold, Wainwright Amber, and Hobgoblin Session IPA as "brewery conditioned." These were previously promoted as "Fresh Ales," but that label appears to have been dropped, possibly following action from CAMRA and a referral to Trading Standards.

Know What You're Drinking

There's nothing wrong with enjoying brewery-conditioned beer, it can be excellent. But passing it off as real ale undermines traditional brewing and misleads drinkers who care about authenticity.

If in doubt, ask. Real ale deserves recognition and so do those who care about what's in their glass.