Category Archives: News
As a proud Midlands brewer we love an excuse for a day out, so what better than a day at the Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National at our local and much-loved racecourse. It’s down the road, in the Staffordshire town of Uttoxeter, on Saturday 14th March 2020.
It’s such a major event for the area that the population of the town doubles for the day – that’s a lot of beer!
We’ll be refreshing punters throughout eight exciting races such as the DE14 Novices Hurdle, Horninglow Handicap Steeple Chase and Pedigree Open National Hunt. The main event, the 61 Deep Midlands Grand National is the second longest race in the UK racing calendar and our own Emma Gilleland (our pioneering first female head brewer) will be presenting the trophy to the final winner. Girl power!
For the more adventurous racegoers, we’ll be unveiling the brand-new Marston’s 61 Deep Globe Challenge – a devilishly tricky dive into the unknown that will see punters defying the odds with the chance for some special winnings. Are you ‘Marston’s’ enough to try?
Tickets range from £15 to £42 and are available online from www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk or by calling the Uttoxeter Racecourse Office 01889 562561.
In British Pie Week (2nd – 8th March) there’s no better time than to reveal our pukka new partnership with our mates down the road in Leicester.
The Pukka piemasters have created the ultimate steak and ale pie with our very own Pedigree – all the Ps see?
Pukka Steak and Pedigree Ale Pie is filled with beef steak in a rich Marston’s Pedigree gravy, encased in a light golden puff pastry.
As fellow East Midlanders, Pukka was established in Leicester by the Storer family in 1963 and their signature pies sold nationwide to pubs, fish and chip shops and supermarkets have become the byword for all things genuinely, properly good. Sounds the the pie version of our beer!
Our Head brewer, Pat reckons it’s a pastry and beer match made in heaven and the perfect meal to enjoy down the pub, at the chippy or at home,
We say share some Pukka n’ Pedigree love!
Round up the usual suspects, we are about to put Beer Town on the map! Another round in our annual film festival extravaganza is now open for entries to UK filmmakers.
Our first year of competition brought in a tidal wave of entries and the sequel had us manning the lifeboats through more than eighty hours of viewing so this year we’re gonna need a bigger boat.
Wait, here’s the serious bit: The competition calls for filmmakers to enter any one of four categories to find the best short fiction film, short documentary, music/advertising/promotional film or short animation. There’s an extra prize for anyone who is local (within a 20-mile radius of Burton) so that we can pay tribute to the new and emerging talent from the area. We say build it and they will come!
The films will be judged by a panel of nationally and internationally-renowned filmmakers and each category winner receives up £500 in cash and the chance to go on to win the coveted ‘Hop D’Or’ (we’re rather proud of that) with a further £1,000 in cash. Our festival wouldn’t take part without a little help from our friends, Burton and South Derbyshire College and The Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton, so big thumbs up and winky face to them.
Alicia is in the director’s chair this year and said: “We are very proud to be involved in such a creative and exciting project for Burton. It’s all about putting our town on the map and reminding everyone about Burton-on-Trent’s incredible brewing credentials. Are you dreaming about being a filmmaker? Go on – give it a go!”
Last year, Beer Town Film Festival’s Best Overall Film was awarded to Daniel McKee for his short fiction film, “if you never answered x”. The 27-year old London-based filmmaker from Worcester studied filmmaking at Arts University Bournemouth and was properly chuffed to receive the recognition. He said: “The Beer Town award really motivated me and gave me a much-needed boost to my career. It made the hours I spent on the film really count.” Daniel put his prize money straight back into making his next film. Sensible boy.
Beer Town Film Festival is now open for entries until 30th June 2020 and will end up in a weekend of festival events and screenings at The Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton-on-Trent from 2nd to 3rd October 2020. (There may be some beer involved!)
You’ve got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? …..Well, do ya punk?
Saturday 7th December will see us hosting our Christmas Festival from 12-3pm. Join us at our brewery on Shobnall Road, Burton on Trent, where you’ll be able to wonder around the mini Christmas market with local craft and food stalls, we’ll also have carol singers there to put you in a festive mood! Enjoy a pint of your favourite Marston’s beer or warm up with a hot chocolate and delicious hog roast.
We will have exclusive discounts in our brewery store on the day too, and best of all, it’s free to visit Santa’s grotto where every child will receive a gift. Gates open to the public at 12 noon – see you there!
Enjoy an afternoon of Beer and Racing with your friends and family at Marston’s Beer Festival Raceday on Saturday 16th November 2019!
The Marston’s Beer Festival Raceday returns for the 9th year to entertain racegoers with an exciting afternoon of great quality horse racing and fantastic tasting beers. Along with 7 top quality races, there’ll be the chance to sample top quality real ales including Marston’s Pedigree, Marston’s 61 Deep, Marston’s Saddle Tank, Jennings Cumberland and Brakspear Gravity. Plus, there’s live music before racing in the beer marquee from talented band Radio Murphy.
Visit https://www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk/whats-on/beer-festival for more information.
The time-honoured traditions, historic buildings, the evocative smells, the fizz of excitement in the air…no, it’s not Pedigree brewing in the Union sets. We’re swapping oak for willow and hops for leather because its time pay homage to another icon of British life: Lord’s cricket ground.
With so much in common, is it any wonder that Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord’s cricket ground, have signed a new agreement to maintain the Marston’s supply of beers for another five years?
The Aussies will have to drink their amber nectar elsewhere – the Official Beer of Lord’s, Pedigree and 61 Deep will be on draught in all the bars at the ground. Makes you proud doesn’t it?
When you want to watch top class cricket you go to Lord’s. When you want to drink top class beer, you buy from Burton.
Simple as.
As Burton is known for its beer, Stoke is known for its pots.
It seems only right and proper then that this season, Marston’s will take on the mantle as official beer for the Potters – Stoke City Football Club – in a sweet, three-year supply deal.
Not only will supporters and the visiting teams enjoy our main striker, Pedigree, they’ll be loving ‘our kid’, none other than 61 Deep pale ale. The first, a stalwart of the team, experienced, nuanced and a reliable player; the second a fast-paced newcomer with hidden depths and a promising future.
Both pack a Staffordshire punch in terms of flavour and refreshment and it’s the perfect local marriage of skill and expertise.
We have it on good authority from our head brewer that a little lubrication from these Burton brews helps supporters to sing just that little bit louder.
So come on Delilah, raise the roof! We can only just hear you singing from Burton!
Marston’s 61 Deep takes the ‘reins’ as title sponsor of the 50th Midlands Grand National!
The ‘Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National’ is the jewel in Uttoxeter Racecourse’s horse racing crown. The second longest steeple chase in the country, the racecourse is a true test of stamina for both horse and jockey, with several of its previous winners going on to achieve glory at events such as the Aintree Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Taking place on Saturday 16th March, the sponsorship includes televised coverage on ITV4 and Skysports racing with three named races:
- Marston’s Pedigree Handicap Hurdle
- Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National
- Marston’s Brewery Novice’s Hurdle
Other assets include branding on outdoor poster sites, tickets and all communications about the race day. Across the racecourse, the new 61 Deep branded Grand Stand will be revealed along with race course and finish line perimeter boards, pennant flags, winner’s enclosure boards and even the number cloths.
With an expected 11,500 visitors, the majority from within a 50mile radius of the racecourse – this is a great local activation for the brand and kicks off the 61 days of 61 Deep activity driving consumer awareness and trial of the award-winning pale ale.
“Build it and they will come” said the man.
We dreamt big. And they came to Burton.
Our first film festival was such a blast we’ve gone and done it again in the best tradition of cinematic sequels: Beer Town Film Festival 2019 is open for entries from now until 2nd February 2019.
We’re inviting entries for short fiction, short documentary, animated and music video categories. New for this year we’ve added the ‘mobile 61’ category that must be shot on a mobile phone and must last exactly 61 seconds – everyone’s a movie maker these days, right?
In addition to all the category winners, judges are dishing out two spot prizes – including one for the best film made by ‘home-grown’ talent. Oh, and did we mention that winners in each of the categories win a cash prize of £500?
Best of all, the judges will choose an overall Beer Town Festival winner and they will collect £1,000 in prize money as well as the peer group plaudits, the new commissions, the social media love and a little bit of fame.
Judging will take place from March 2019 with winners being announced in May 2019.
Well, what are you waiting for?
“Lights, camera and….action!”
When you’re in deep, keep digging right?
Not so when you’re an expert Motor Cross competitor like Adam. He regularly jumps between 90 to 100 feet to get him out of trouble while racing his dirt bike in competitions.
This season, he’s championing our zesty pale ale, 61 Deep in the current Motor Cross season on his 2017 KTM 350 sxf modern Motor Cross bike. It’s been decked out with the distinctive 61 Deep graphics across its body work to spread the word about our eminently drinkable beer for a new crowd of drinkers.
‘Our Adam’ is Adam Jones, from Kidderminster. By day, a Front of House trainer for Marston’s pubs, he is a qualified NVQ assessor with teaching qualifications and has been working for Marston’s for two years.
But when the weekend comes around, he dons his leathers, switches to ‘fearless’ mode and reaches for his life passion – his bike. Riding motor bikes before he was ten years old, he got into serious Motor Cross Racing as a teenager, reaching expert pro level. He competed in national and international competitions across Europe for a number of teams including Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki until a bad injury attempting a 150-foot jump (we’re talking metal plates and screws to rebuild his hand) put an end to his pro career at 24 years of age.
Adam’s got racing in his blood so he was back on a bike again within a year and now races as an independent competitor when he can. What’s more, he brings his experience in the Motor Cross world into his training day job as an example of great team work.
Smart and fearless: You can see why we wanted to work with him and perhaps share a pint or two when he’s off duty.
When you’re in deep it may as well be 61 Deep.
