Free Houses

A Free House is a pub theoretically not bound by any contractual obligation to any drink supplier, leaving the publican free to purchase stock at his or her discretion.

Having a broad range of beers is fine, even highly desirable for CAMRA enthusiasts, but there can occasionally be a downside. Beer quality can suffer if the turnover of specific casks is slowed as a result of a pub selling too wide a range of Cask ales. Better to serve two varieties well than five varieties, some of which may well be below standard.

Fortunately for the Harveys drinker, our distribution hinterland is restricted to the immediate surrounding counties. As a result, Harveys beer has incremental local popularity and can typically outsell other brewer's beers by several orders of magnitude. Therefore quality problems resulting from slow turnover rarely exist (for the consumer or publican).

At the free house a longstanding relationship with the brewery is desirable. Good pub stewardship includes an empathy for the craft of cellar management. Long standing publican customers share this enthusiasm and it is reflected in the supreme quality of their beer.