CAMRA crowns real ale as 'Drink of Britain'

5th August 2008, 10:59am

Campaign for Real Ale is responding to recent reports that beer sales in pubs are declining by crowning real ale, our traditional pub drink, as the 'Drink of Britain'.

Research results show that only 35% of British adults who drink alcohol have tried real ale, whereas 61% of the Irish, including those that do not usually drink alcohol, have tried their national drink, stout, while 84% of all French adults have tried wine.

Mike Benner, CAMRA's Chief Executive, said: " Research shows only one in three British drinkers have tried real ale, which is a real growth opportunity for British pubs facing unprecedented pressures from the credit crunch, falling consumer confidence, high tax rates and increasing utility and raw material costs. Now is the time for campaigners and the beer industry to work together to get British people to try and to appreciate real ale. Our culture and heritage is intrinsically linked with ale, as a great British product brewed and enjoyed sociably in community pubs for generations, yet most people haven't even tried it."

CAMRA says there is now more ale choice than ever before with around 700 independent breweries brewing approximately 2,500 different real ales, 450 of which are featured at the Great British Beer Festival, the biggest of its kind in the World. In the last twelve months over seventy new breweries have started up, despite the credit crunch, as consumers move towards products with taste and genuine provenance.

Mr Benner added: "Times are tough for lager brewers and many pubs as lager and keg beer sales are in freefall. Latest industry results suggest a 10.6% decline in pub beer sales, but real ale is growing its share of the on-trade beer market as consumers abandon global brands and search out natural, often locally brewed ales with real provenance. I think people increasingly care about what's in their glass, where it comes from and what it brings to the community and local economy. It's a wake-up call for pub bosses to recognise this trend and realise that real ale is the USP of the British pub."

According to AC Nielsen real ale sales declined by 1.3% last year against a decline in the total beer market of 4.5%. There is a clear trend towards growth; SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, has reported record year on year growth amongst its 420 members of nearly 11%.

Mr Benner said, "Clearly real ale brewers are generally bucking the trend of decline and many are reporting record sales increases with the market still attracting new entrants, despite the economic downturn and credit crunch. While real ale has been in decline since the mid-nineties, its time has come once again and a return to growth is on the cards. 5.4 million people drink real ale and if each of them drunk just one pint a day that would treble the market to over 6 million barrels."

Julian Grocock, Chief Executive of SIBA said, "There is little doubt that our members are doing well by concentrating on quality local beers which offer cash-strapped drinkers something new and exciting to try as people turn away from standard quaffing lagers to quality real ales."

Related Articles:

• 21 Mar 2012 - Countdown to Community Pubs Month
• 29 Sep 2011 - 1,000th pub signs up to CAMRA’s cider accreditation scheme
• 22 Sep 2011 - CAMRA backs National Cask Ale Week
• 01 Aug 2011 - CAMRA Great British Beer Festival kicks off this week
• 18 Jul 2011 - The search for Champion Beer of Britain 2011 begins
• 04 Jul 2011 - CAMRA launches guide to beer drinking in London
• 17 Jun 2011 - CAMRA reveals Champion Beer of Scotland 2011
• 26 May 2011 - CAMRA launches national fundraiser to help pub closures
• 13 May 2011 - CAMRA reveals date and venue for its 40th birthday and national awards ceremony
• 03 May 2011 - New research shows Mild beer is back in demand
• 16 Feb 2011 - The Harp in London crowned National Pub of the Year
• 21 Jan 2011 - Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2011 revealed
• 28 Jul 2010 - Travelodge to sponsor Champion Bottled Beer of Britain competition

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