(Guest Blog) People who drink cask ale go to more pubs more often and spend more money when they get there. But if you’re thinking matted beards, socks with sandals and beige cardigans - think again. The age-old beverage is rapidly shedding its unfashionable image, and has been busy garnering a new demographic of devotees, along with renewed potential to breathe life into the ailing beer market. Over eight million self-confessed ale fans now enjoy the stuff on an increasingly regular basis. And it seems to be losing its aforementioned tired image, as more young people and women jump on the bandwagon.
There’s no doubt that Britain’s national tipple is on the rise. In August, ale aficionados CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) welcomed their 150,000th member, at the same time that its flagship event, the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), attracted an estimated 55,000 beer fans. But figures show that there’s still a long way to go; almost half of UK adults have never tried cask ale, with 30% of those not able to give a reason why not.
Cask Ale Week runs from 27th September to 6th October and is adopting an ‘Introduce a Friend’ theme to champion this age-old beverage to a wider audience across the country. Throughout the week there are festivals, open days and tasting sessions throughout the country available to anyone interested in getting better acquainted with the nation’s finest cask ales. Paul Nunny, executive director of Cask Marque enthused, “Quite simply, Cask Ale Week is a platform for pubs and breweries all over the country to give people the reason to try.”
As it continues to attract an ever more keen and diverse audience, real ale could be invaluable to boosting one of Britain’s best-loved institutions: the local. For every 10 drinks sold in a pub, around seven are beer, so a good pint can be a really valuable asset. Because of the way it’s stored and conditioned, real ale can only optimally be enjoyed in a pub environment, where it’s possible to cater for the stringent maintenance conditions. And as the only category of beverage that has been increasing in sales year on year, there’s an opportunity for pubs to use real ale’s resurgence to their advantage.
In fact, CAMRA believes real ale could be the key to turn around the fortunes of the beer industry, estimating that just one extra pint per regular beer drinker every month would be enough to push the beer industry back into growth. So what do you think; can the revival of cask ale help boost the British pub industry?
Guest Blog By Laura Moulden
More Information on Cask Ale Week
