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100% Natur-ale - Give Real Ale a chance!
by John Cryne
It's a sad truth that today's market for alcoholic drinks is as brand and advertising-led as most other consumer industries. In 1999 real cask ale received less than 2% of the total UK advertising spend on beer. Most big companies just can't be bothered to sell you interesting beers that require care to keep in the pub. Call me cynical, but I think too many consumers are led by the marketing and it is this manipulation which threatens the great old industry that is British brewing. The fact is that real cask ale is brewed using natural ingredients. Endless varieties of hops and malted barley are crafted together to create over 2000 different brews. So - don't be afraid - try something different for a change! Just because you don't know the brand name, it doesn't mean that it won't be any good! CAMRA's 60,000 members are fighting back. We believe that the only reason many younger drinkers prefer the safety net of big brand lagers is because successful marketing has made it 'uncool' to try anything different. If you think the world of real ale is closed off to all but blokes with beards, think again! What can be more stylish than a beer that meets the needs of all modern consumers - it's cool, it's refreshing, it's natural and it's available. Just to cap things off, every real ale tastes different and there are over 2000 to try!
Think about it. Life's too short to drink the same old stuff every day. Be individual. Try something different. Try a pint of real cask ale - you never know you may even like it!
Next time you go to the pub - Ask if it's Cask!
John Cryne
Reproduced from the Full Pint, Issue 11.
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