The research, involving 2,000 respondents, also delved into what drinkers think makes a perfect pint and found the brew should have a head of 9mm, served in a ‘proper’ pint glass at 5.30pm on a Saturday, in a beer garden with a partner, the study revealed.
It revealed the ideal pint should be partnered with a packet of crisps, a good catch up with a partner and with mobile phones out of sight.
The perfect location was a country pub, with a beer garden and should take precisely 28 minutes to drink.
The study, commissioned by St Austell Brewery’s Proper Job IPA to mark Cask Ale Week, starting 20 September, also found 43% of British beer drinkers want to be on friendly terms with bar staff and 16% want to go where everyone knows their name.
Beer and food pairing
More than six in 10 beer ‘aficionados’ said great taste was a vital component to the perfect pint and 65% said the food they eat to accompany a beer was crucial to the enjoyment of the drink, with crisps, a curry, a burger and peanuts among the top food selections to partner a pint with.
However, 23% of Brits said they hardly ever drink a faultless pint with almost one third (32%) claiming the temperature is always wrong.
Just over one quarter of Brits (26%) complained many pubs and bars offer a poor selection of beers and four in 10 bemoaned the cost of a pint.
Almost one third (29%) claimed loud music always ruined their drinking experience and 38% said their pints were spoiled by being served in dirty glasses.
A Proper Job spokesman said: “With our research, we wanted to shine a light on what makes a perfect, proper pint.
“We believe everything should be proper, and for Cask Ale Week, we wanted to find out what British beer aficionados said about makes a proper pint."
Overall experience
He added: “Our research reveals there are many important factors, ranging from who people are drinking it with, where they are drinking it and at what time of day.
“Taste is key for the majority of beer lovers, and what they eat with their beer is also really important. We hope this study will help Brits enjoy a proper pint during Cask Ale Week.”
The overall experience of drinking beer is key, according to beer writer Roger Protz.
He said: “In Britain, beer is so much more than just a drink. It is about the overall experience – good taste, ideally suited food pairing, served in proper pubs by landlords who are obsessed with beer quality and doing things the right way when it comes to conditioning.
“There are many thing to consider when it comes to the essential ingredients of a perfect pint. It is reassuring to see that Brits are more passionate than ever about doing things properly when it comes to enjoying beer.”