BrewDog pub distribution: UK pubs shift away from Punk IPA as tastes change
Walk into a pub today and you might notice something missing from the taps. Punk IPA, once everywhere, is quietly slipping off the line-up in many places. It’s part of a shift in BrewDog pub distribution that has seen hundreds of venues swap out the beer in favour of Camden, Beavertown and other alternatives.
For landlords, it’s about tighter ranges and rising costs. For drinkers, it reflects changing tastes: a willingness to try different IPAs and support local producers. BrewDog itself has been scaling back in some areas, closing ten bars last summer, including its first site in Aberdeen, after posting losses in both 2022 and 2023.
But this isn’t the end of Punk IPA. Instead, the brand is focusing more on festivals, stadiums and independents, where the beer still draws a crowd. As Lauren Carroll, BrewDog’s chief operating officer, put it: “We saw the trend coming.” In practice, that means chasing the spaces where the company’s name still feels distinctive, rather than fighting for every single pub tap.
Across the UK, it fits a broader pattern. Larger pub groups are streamlining, while free houses and specialist bars keep the variety alive. Campaigns by groups such as CAMRA continue to press home why independence and provenance matter, something more drinkers seem to be tuning into.
So next time you order a pint, you may find a different IPA in your glass. Whether that feels like a loss or just part of the natural cycle depends on your view of what a modern pub should pour. Either way, the direction of travel is clear: BrewDog pub distribution is changing, and the pub trade is changing with it.
For more stories tracking shifts in the UK’s pub and beer scenes, stick with EyeOnLondon. We’d love to hear your views in the comments below.
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