Cask ale has lost old man image

“There has been a sea-change in attitudes towards cask ale over the past few years,” said Brown “which explains why it’s now out-performing the beer market by 6.8%.

“It’s completely lost its image as an old man’s drink and now appeals to a broad range of drinkers, male and female, young and old. 63% of licensees say it’s attracting younger customers into their pub and a similar number say that more women are drinking it.

"More people see it as crafted product made from natural British ingredients and like the fact that it’s available only in the pub. This is great news for all those who care about the future of the British pub since it helps guarantee a new generation of drinkers who will help keep pubs relevant - and open!”

He said that over 10,000 pubs held beer festivals during 2012, encouraging people to try out cask ale and modernising its image.

“With all the extra beers on offer in each of those pubs during the festivals, that’s not only a lot of sales generated; it’s also a good illustration of why the market is fragmenting and new breweries are opening.”

A total of 184 new breweries have opened during the past year, some microplants in the brewhouses of regional brewers and others in pubs or converted buildings, on industrial estates or in the heart of the countryside.

The report has been published to coincide with Cask Ale Week, which runs from 27 September to 6 October.