Pubs face shortage of famous ale sold to Barcelona beer giant

Estrella Damm acquired the business from Greene King earlier this month, which also included Old Golden Hen, Old Crafty Hen, Old Master Hen, and Low Alcohol Old Speckled Hen.

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A spokesman for the Spanish company said the beer was still being brewed and temporary issues resulting from the change in ownership had created distribution problems.

Pressure with distribution also resulted from the hot weather and the World Cup, the company said.

While supplies are on their way, pub landlords would feel the wait as a “shortage”, the company admitted. It added it was working with Greene King to “minimise the impact as much as it can”.

Old Speckled Hen beers (Image: Greene King)

The shortages, first reported by The Morning Advertiser, came after the beers were transferred into Estrella Damm’s supply network.

However, the transition is now “broadly complete” so customers should soon receive stock.

The Old Speckled Hen brand was sold to Estrella Damm in May, and the deal was completed on July 1.

The deal forms part of a broader strategic realignment for Greene King, which aims to concentrate on its pub estate.

Old Speckled Hen and its spin-off brands Old Golden Hen, Old Crafty Hen, Old Master Hen and Low Alcohol Old Speckled Hen will continue to be brewed by Greene King at Bury St Edmunds until June next year.

Then the brand will move to Eagle brewery in Bedford, where Damm operates the former Charles Wells brewery.

Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King, said earlier: “We are proud to have built Old Speckled Hen into one of the nation’s favourite ales over the last 25 years and are delighted to have secured a partner in Estrella Damm who will continue to brew the ales in the UK.”

The Suffolk-based firm had said it was moving away from producing beer to be sold in retailers including supermarkets.

Old Speckled Hen brands accounted for more than half of Greene King’s beers sold in UK shops.

The Brewery Tap pub in Abingdon (Image: Andy Ffrench)

It was taken on by Greene King in 1999, soon becoming one of Britain’s best-selling premium ales.

The beer was originally produced by Morland Brewery in Abingdon, which closed in 2000, and Old Speckled Hen was named after an MG car – MG was also once manufactured in Abingdon.

The former Morland brewery off Ock Street was converted into flats, while the popular Brewery Tap pub in the street is a reminder of the town centre brewery.

Abingdon now has a micro-brewery, Loose Cannon, which is situated off Drayton Road.

Old Speckled Hen beer is named after a 1927 black and gold factory ‘runaround’.

TV channel Dave sponsored the beer in 2009, bringing it further publicity.

Greene King, which runs 2,500 pubs, restaurants and hotels, continues to make cask ale and craft beer including Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale.