Young drinkers ignore real ale
12-May-2008
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Young drinkers ignore real ale

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There’s a lot of talk about binge drinking, underage drinking, twenty-four hour drinking and the rest of it.  I’d like to take a look at another aspect of drinking here in the UK.  How about WHAT the youngsters are drinking these days rather than the where, when and why?

If I go out to a pub (usually at the weekend) I usually stick to drinking real ale, although occasionally I will have a glass of wine or perhaps even a shot of bourbon.  On a hot evening, you may catch me with an ice cold glass of scrumpy cider or maybe even a good quality lager.  Real ales such as Abbot, Theakstons or Marston’s Pedigree would definitely be my first choice and there’s nothing quite like a really good hand drawn pint of beer in my opinion.

Like a great many other people who appreciate real beer, I enjoy the taste of it.  I also enjoy trying out different ales and to be honest there’s such an exceptional variety in this country you’d be hard pushed to get bored with the same old drink.  My point is that whilst the effect of the alcohol in beer is pleasant and assists in developing an enjoyable and sociable evening, it’s only a part of the equation and not a reason in itself to drink.

These days however, the kids are drinking all kinds of designer drinks and for the most part they seem to be sweet sickly vodka based bottles of high alcohol concoctions.  Often called alcopop’s, these are consumed for the sole purpose of getting drunk as quickly as possible.  There’s no hard and fast rule, but these drinks go hand in hand with the cheap mass produced lager that can be found in the majority of pubs these days.  You can witness this for yourself in any English town on a Friday or Saturday night, whilst the boys gravitate towards pints and bottles of lager, the girls are downing bottles of this vodka based ‘tart fuel’.

A classic pint of real ale

I find it very sad that so many of the new generation of pub goers have such an uneducated palate when it comes to the alcoholic beverages they choose to drink.  I’m willing to bet that many of them haven’t even tried real ale.  Perhaps this is because they see it as the domain of older men and it’s not cool to be seen drinking an ‘old mans’ drink.  I blame the big breweries and the marketing people for this.  They don’t care what people drink as long it can be made cheaply, sold for a good profit and quickly consumed.  How often do you see their happy hour drinks promotions, two bottles for the price of one, ladies night half price and so on?

These products are aggressively marketed and are aimed at the junk food generation brought up on sugary snacks with absolutely no time to sit and enjoy something unique that took a little bit of time and effort to create.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant and on a final note: Don’t drink and drive.  Drink responsibly and stay safe!  By the way next time you’re in a pub, try some real ale for a change – you never know you might actually taste something!


Further Information

CAMRA – Campaign For Real Ale
CAMRA promotes good-quality real ale and pubs, as well as acting as the consumer's champion in relation to the UK and European beer and drinks industry.

Roxxoff – Alcopop that boosts sexual performance
The Surrey-based firm Yours Alternatively make this claim of their new vodka based drink.  A really mature marketing strategy guys (not!), this is exactly what I am talking about!

The Portman Group
The majority of people who drink alcohol enjoy it without causing harm to themselves or others.  The Portman Group acts to reduce the misuse of alcohol by the minority through a strategy of working with other organisations locally and nationally.


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What has the world come to? Now you're not allowed to have your drink of choice without being told off for it. Drink your ale and let everyone else enjoy their blue wkd in peace and just be thankful it's not a cocktail of drugs!
*Welcome to the 21st century  07-Jan-2008 00:18

 
I am 24 and since I was 17 I have chose real ale as my drink of choice, most of my friends my age enjoy real ale too! However how are young people expected to try real ale when a lot of pubs especially chain ones serve poor quality ale, often don't have the ale on and when its busy get narky when they have to serve you ale as opposed to cracking open a lager bottle top
*Jamie  21-Jun-2007 16:25

 
I went to my first beer festival at a local "traditional" pub a few weeks ago. It was pretty good! Lots of different types of Ale. Arundel St George was my favorite although I couldnt tell you why - I just liked it more than the others. A perfect summers evening tipple!
Of course when out in the town I can only get lager, but I do now enjoy a couple of pints of ale after footie on a sunday. Even a couple of the younger players are getting into it. Im 29 and cant believe I havent tried it before. Next thing I will be growing a beard and smoking a pipe!(just Kidding) I even start asking how many pints have been pulled just so I dont get naff pint out the barrel, its like being in a special club!
Ale - dont knock it till you've tried it
*Danno  13-Jun-2007 09:33

 
This is a damn good gripe, like you say the only reason why they drink tasteless larger like carling is because they see it on thier football teams shirt. Its been marketed at them and unfortunately there is more profit in mass produced rubbish than quality products, the downside of capatalism As a young larger drinker I stick to the better ones such as San Miguel, or Stella, and well away from Carling, which to me tastes like fizzy water. Next time I go out Im going to try the quality ale...
*billy  05-Jun-2007 12:39

 
My parents have never been realy strict with me over alcohol, they have let me make my own mistakes with it and learn the effects of it buy myself, because of this I no my limit and I am no longer interested in getting drunk, as for one of my friends he was never allowed to even try alcohol and his parents are very strict with him but as an effect as soon as he is out of his parents sight he is alcohol obsessed. (teenager)
*yorkshire lass  28-Feb-2007 19:57

 
I'm actually encouraged by how many under-30s ARE into real ale. It may not be the norm but it is more than you think. Besides, tastes develop through life and the 20-year-old who necks crap lager may be a real ale drinker in five or ten years time.
*Chris  25-Nov-2006 08:49

 
Well I don’t drink beer, only wine and occasional spirits. But I still stump up that people should drink the real quality thing rather than these cheap mass produced rubbish that taste more like water.
*anon  28-Oct-2006 20:52

 
I was introduced to ale by my pairents when I was a small child, I mean before I can remenber maybe 4 or 5 years old. I remember drinking beer and wine at the dinner table when I was about 8 or 9. I had plenty of time for my palet to develope before my 18th. birthday bender:P
*twiggs  28-Sep-2006 22:18

 
I don't think it's fair to tar every young person with the same brush. I'm a 26 year old pub manager who often enjoys a pint of real ale after work and I know many people who feel the same.

Our pub is one of about three in the town that sells real ale. Many pubs are put off selling real ale as it takes a lot of work to maintain a decent standard and all this cuts into the profit which is sadly all most breweries are interested in.
*Trickywoo  22-Aug-2006 10:28

 
Tart fuel and old fart fuel. Absolutely priceless that. Personally I like real ale and lager, but if the time is right I will have a spirit and a mixer as well. Whatever suits the occasion and what is on offer. Drinks are getting expensive though I can definitely agree with that and kids are starting to drink way too young.
*Paul  09-Aug-2006 15:06

 
Things change as you get older. After you've gone on a few too many benders, you stop wanting to drink that much. When you're young, you just want to party and get messed up. Whatever works the fastest and costs the least is your best bet. So, no, of course young people don't enjoy real ale!
*Princess Kim  05-Aug-2006 10:25

 
Well times change. We don't want to drink your 'old fart fuel'.
*A sad slapper  19-Jul-2006 23:56


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