Shropshire brewers toast sales rise as more enjoy pint
There has never been a better time to be a beer drinker, county brewers said today. It comes as it was revealed the pint is going from strength to strength as other alcohol sales decline.
Nationally, people are drinking a fifth less alcohol than a decade ago, but beer is bucking the trend and Shropshire's 16 micro-breweries have noticed, citing increased interest in artisan foods and the backing of supermarkets as reasons why.
A 17-day beer festival, where pub-goers can enjoy real ales from across the world, has been launched.
The beer festival at The Hippodrome in Queen Street, Market Drayton, runs from today until March 29, with all beers priced at £1.79 a pint.
The overseas beers have been sourced from brewers in Brazil, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, USA, Spain, Ireland and Australia.
The festival features seasonal and unusual beers with many brewed exclusively for the event.
Pub manager Will Ashurst said: "The festival is the perfect opportunity to showcase the wonderful range of British-grown hop varieties and support British hop farmers.
"It will give people the opportunity to enjoy a superb selection of UK and international beers, many of which have not been served in the pub before.
"The festival promises to be great fun and I am certain that my customers will enjoy themselves."
The overseas beers are; Spider Bite (Devils Backbone Brewing Company, USA), Shipwreck IPA (Lighthouse Brewing Company, Canada), Wee Heavy (Bodebrown Brewery, Brazil), Durban Pale Ale (Shongweni Brewery, South Africa), Hightail Ale (Mountain Goat Beer, Australia), California Breakfast Ale (Golden Road Brewing, USA), 0' Dwyer's Irish Stout (Dungarvan Brewing Company, Ireland), JCIPA (Townshend Brewery, New Zealand), English IPA (Cerveceria Fort Brewery, Spain) and ESA (Barley Brown's Beer, USA).
Customers can to sample any three of the real ales in special third-of-a-pint glasses for the price of a pint.
Research by the British Beer & Pub Association has revealed people drank an average of 7.76 litres of alcohol last year, a litre and a half less than in 2004.
But beer's share of the market increased to more than 36 per cent last year, ahead of wine (33 per cent), spirits (21 per cent) and cider (eight per cent).
Meanwhile the Society of Independent Brewers said its research showed its members sold more than 15 per cent more beer in 2014 and a survey of 270 brewers found that 1,600 jobs had been created over the past two years.
Shane Parr, director at Oswestry's Stonehouse Brewery, said: "We started here eight years ago back when there were 400 breweries in the UK. Now there are about 1,200.
"We've seen a 25 to 30 per cent increase in beer sales, particularly in real ale. This is why we've gone from a company that employed one person to one that employs 11.
"People in Shropshire are very lucky, there are a lot of breweries here and they're all competing against each other which raises the quality, but they've all grown."
James Owens, sales manager at The Wood Brewery in Wistanstow, near Craven Arms, agreed.
"There is another industry report recently that said beer sales are up significantly through bottled beers, which I think is down to the supermarkets, who are devoting a lot more space to them. In pubs sales are only up by about 0.8 per cent, which is pretty static.
"I think interest in artisan food has spilled over into beer."
Brigid Simmonds, the BBPA's chief executive, said:
"There is no doubt that two cuts in beer duty have had a huge impact in supporting a British-based industry and in encouraging consumers back towards our favourite, lower-strength drink."
She said the body was hoping for a third cut in next week's Budget.
