CAMRA’s new chief executive Mike Benner (previously head of campaigns) wonders whether the trend for ice cold sweetened and fizzy drinks is ruining the taste buds of young Britons. Research shows that many young people will not even try beer because they think it is too bitter, too heavy or too warm. In addition, 26% of people aged 18-34 thought the term ‘real beer’ would be better for the product’s image. Mike Benner ruled out changing CAMRA’s name to the Campaign for Real Beer (CARB?), but suggests the key is getting young drinkers to try real ale, and encourages pubs to offer free tasters. CAMRA experience at beer festivals certainly bears this out; it is rare for a customer not to find a beer to suit their taste, once they give it a try.

As part of August’s Great British Beer festival, a panel of 20 ‘beer virgins’ aged 18-30 took part in a blind tasting of 8 different real ales. The panel members were selected through a competition run on local radio stations and newspapers, and none of them had tried real ale before. The first beers were drunk blindfold to show that colour is not always a guide to how the beer will taste. The highest scoring Young Person’s Champion Beer was Belhaven’s Fruit beer, made with added apples and raspberries, described by panel members who normally drink wine or alcopops as ‘lovely smell, summery and refreshing’; ‘fruity and summery, easy to drink’. Joint second were Arran Blonde (Rowan, a lager drinker, said he would enjoy drinking it in the pub; the reason he drinks lager is that he doesn’t know what type of beer to order) and O’Hanlon’s Port Stout, described by Anna, 23, as "coffee-like, I was expecting not to like it but I did!"

back to What Ales