Great British Beer Festival celebrates 5 year real ale revolution

CAMRA Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London, August 2nd – 6th 2011, www.gbbf.org.uk

On the day Britain’s biggest beer festival opens its doors to an anticipated 65,000 people over 5 days, CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, is delighted to report new research showing how the real ale industry has grown exponentially over 5 years.

New consumer research out today has shown how in just 5 years, the number of drinkers trying real ale, Britain’s National Drink, for the first time, has risen by a staggering 40%, creating a whole new market for good beer to thrive, in stark comparison to when CAMRA was formed in 1971 and a handful of global brewers dominated the market.

Such an increase comes at a time when the real ale brewing sector has welcomed over 200 new breweries into the market place, with the market growing by over 25% in the process. There are now over 800 breweries operational across the UK.

CAMRA’s research is released at a time when its flagship event, the Great British Beer Festival, bids farewell to Earls Court after a 5-year stint at the exhibition centre. At the Festival this week, CAMRA is showcasing over 300 brewers from across Britain, which in 2006 would’ve constituted half the brewers in the country!

Colin Valentine, CAMRA National Chairman, said:

‘It’s strange to think that at the turn of the 21st century, the real ale market was in decline, and many predicted a further downturn in fortunes. Yet in the present day, real ale brewing is recognised as one of the most vibrant areas of the small business sector, and we now enjoy more brewers than at any time since the end of the Second World War.

‘There are promising times ahead for the industry when a new era of discerning consumers are demanding quality products that are locally produced and represent good value for money. The fact many brewers in the current climate are reporting record like for like sales increases shows this renewed interest is not about to end, and the Great British Beer Festival is the showcase for the present growth of the industry.’