Gen Z and younger millennials, broadly those aged 18 to 35, are increasingly choosing cask at the bar, with established brands among the fastest-growing in the category.
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Bass has been the fastest-growing cask ale brand by value so far this year, followed by Timothy Taylor Landlord, Wadworth 6X, St Austell Tribute and Theakstons XB, according to data from NIQ.
The research, released ahead of Cask Ale Week (Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 September), found Bass in particular had seen a notable increase in younger drinkers, as shown by tracking data from Oxford Partnership.
Budweiser Brewing Group (BBG) brand manager for Bass Warren White explained the figures pointed to a changing market for cask.
Provenance and heritage
He said: “Bass has always been a cask ale with broad appeal to beer drinkers.
“What this research shows is that since 2024/25 the age mix in pubs serving Bass has changed, with more under-35s, and particularly more in the 18–24 and 25–29 age groups, drinking in Bass pubs.”
Wadworth has also seen strong growth for its 6X brew, which ranked third among the fastest-growing cask brands.
The Wiltshire-based brewers commercial director, Adam Russell, added there was “definitely a trend” among younger drinkers looking for cask ales with “provenance and heritage”.
Meanwhile, NIQ business unit director Philip Montgomery highlighted cask had previously been “left behind” by younger consumers, but established regional favourites were bringing new drinkers to the category.
Regionally, the NIQ figures showed Timothy Taylor Landlord was the top seller in Scotland and the North, while Greene King IPA topped the charts in East Anglia, and Fuller’s London Pride was most popular in London and the South East.
Strong-value category
Price wise, the average cost of a pint of cask ale has risen to £4.91, according to a recent survey conducted by The Morning Advertiser, with Timothy Taylor’s Landlord the most expensive at £5.42.
London Pride averaged £5.22, while Tribute Pale Ale was £5.07 after the biggest increase among the nine brands surveyed, rising 48p.
The survey further showed a fall in overall cask volumes, with 1.28m hectolitres sold in the on-trade so far this year, down 7.1% year-on-year and 11.2% on two years ago.
Meanwhile, the NIQ data showed cask accounted for 8.1% of draught beer sales by volume but 7.4% by value, making it a relatively strong-value category.
It was also found to perform particularly well in food-led pubs, where cask accounted for 12.5% of beer spending, or £1 in every £8, compared with £1 in every £13 across all pubs.
