Cask Ale Week kicks off tomorrow (17th) and more pubs than ever are taking part in the annual celebration of Britain’s national drink.
More than 10,000 pubs and hundreds of breweries up and down the country will be putting the spotlight on cask ale.
With new figures showing that 16% of Cask Ale Drinkers are now aged 18-34, there are high hopes that this new generation of beer lovers will pay their part in keeping Britain’s hard-pressed pubs busy.
New data has also revealed the UK’s top destinations for cask beer quality. Based on the reports of Cask Marque assessors, as well as ale drinkers using the Caskfinder app, Nottingham heads the list, followed by Swindon and Oxford. Manchester, Birmingham, Lancaster, and Dorchester are also contenders.
The figures showing higher take-up of cask ale amongst younger drinkers come from pub trade analyst CGA. The statsshow that 16% of Cask Ale Drinkers are now aged 18-34*, with growth seen in cask ale occasions, frequency and spend amongst the GenZ and Millennial drinkers. *Source: CGA by NIQ, OPUS June 2026.
With Timothy Taylor’s Landlord the UK’s best-selling cask ale brand by both value and volume, Andy Leman, head brewer at the Yorkshire-based independent family brewery, said: “Cask Ale Week is an excellent springboard to get drinkers talking about what makes cask beer so special, and why it remains vital to British pub culture.
“We know that there’s plenty of interest amongst younger drinkers in trying cask beer brands that are familiar fixtures on the bar, but which they may want to know more about flavour-wise.
“Giving these so-called cask-curious, and price-conscious, consumers a chance to try-before-they-buy could help increase the reach to a new generation of cask converts.”
Adam Russell, commercial director of Wiltshire-based brewer Wadworth, whose 6X ale is also seeing strong growth, added: “There’s definitely a trend amongst younger drinkers to look for cask ales with provenance and heritage.
“They know Wadworth 6X as a brand their dad – or maybe even their granddad – drank, and they want to revive and continue that family tradition.”
