Pubs in Britain are facing shortages of Old Speckled Hen weeks after the ale brand was sold to a Spanish beer giant.
Estrella Damm acquired the business from Greene King earlier this month, which included Old Golden Hen, Old Crafty Hen, Old Master Hen, and Low Alcohol Old Speckled Hen.
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 was also piled on from hot weather and the football World Cup, the company said.
While supplies are coming, 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”.
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.
Old Speckled Hen was first brewed in 1979 by Morland Brewery in Abingdon.
It was sold to Estrella Damm in May, and the deal was completed on 1 July.
The deal forms part of a broader strategic realignment for Greene King, which aims to concentrate more intently on its pub estate.
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.
It was taken on by Greene King in 1999, soon becoming one of Britain’s best-selling premium ales.
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.
The group said it will push ahead with the strategy from summer 2027 with the opening of a new £40 million brewery in Bury St Edmunds.
Estrella Damm has been contacted for a statement.
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