Between the mid-1970s and 2024, the proportion of draught beer fell by 50%. That's a pretty big change. And obviously bad news for cask beer, which is only available in draught form.
I quick word about the classes. These are:
Class I <= 1034º
Class II 1035º - 1039º
Class III >= 1040º
Ordinary Bitter - that under 1040º - saw the biggest drop. From 26% of beer sales in 1990 to just 5.5% in 2024. In contrast, Bitter of 1040º and above saw its share slightly increase between 2000 and 2024. Despite falling during the early 2000s. Indicating a clear move in Bitter drinkers from Ordinary to Best Bitter.
There was a similar upgrading in Lager, though it took place somewhat later, after 2012. And after the pandemic, the switch was even more dramatic, with stronger Lager outstripping Cooking Lager. Though, with the recent changes in the tax rate for weaker beers which has seen the strength of several big Lager brands reduced that may well have changed in 2025.
The second table just looks at percentages of draught sales. Which shows better how the different styles have been faring.
I was surprised to see that, in 2000, bottom-fermenting beer barely outsold top-fermenting: 53% to 47%. By 2024, that was 64% to 34%. But that's a fall since Lager's peak in 2021, when it was 66%. Interestingly, it wasn't a revival of Bitter that ate into Lager's slice, but Stout.
After 2000, Stout's share of the draught market was very stable at around 7%. Then rose sharply from 2022, hitting 12% in 2024. Which is a pretty dramatic change. With Bitter's share continuing to fall, Stout is starting to breathe down its neck.
It will be very interesting to see what happens over the next few years. Especially if Stout will continue to chew away at both Bitter and Lager. If the trends of the last couple of years continue, Stout might outstrip Bitter by 2030. Wouldn't that be weird?
| UK draught beer by type and strength 1971 - 2024 | |||||||||
| Year | Mild | Bitter standard | Bitter premium +stout | Lager standard | Lager premium | Bitter total | Lager total | Total draught | |
| 1971 | 17.7 | 31.3 | 17.4 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 73.5 | |||
| 1972 | 15.9 | 31.1 | 17.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 73.4 | |||
| 1973 | 14.2 | 30.6 | 17.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 73.1 | |||
| 1974 | 13.8 | 30.6 | 16.8 | 12.1 | 0.5 | 12.6 | 73.8 | ||
| 1975 | 13.3 | 31.0 | 15.9 | 14.9 | 0.7 | 15.6 | 75.8 | ||
| 1976 | 12.6 | 30.7 | 15.2 | 17.3 | 1.2 | 18.5 | 77.0 | ||
| 1977 | 12.7 | 32.0 | 14.8 | 17.4 | 1.6 | 19.0 | 78.5 | ||
| 1978 | 11.9 | 31.8 | 13.8 | 18.8 | 1.8 | 20.6 | 78.1 | ||
| 1979 | 11.4 | 31.5 | 13.2 | 20.2 | 1.9 | 22.1 | 78.2 | ||
| 1980 | 8.6 | 34.9 | 12.3 | 21.0 | 2.0 | 23.0 | 78.8 | ||
| Year | Mild | Bitter I + II | Bitter premium +stout | Lager I + II | Lager III | Bitter total | Lager total | Total draught | |
| 1982 | 8.0 | 38.0 | 9.1 | 22.0 | 2.3 | 24.3 | 79.4 | ||
| 1983 | 7.3 | 36.5 | 8.7 | 23.5 | 2.5 | 26.0 | 78.5 | ||
| 1984 | 6.9 | 34.8 | 8.6 | 25.1 | 2.8 | 27.9 | 78.2 | ||
| 1985 | 6.4 | 33.2 | 8.6 | 25.7 | 3.3 | 29.0 | 77.2 | ||
| 1986 | 5.9 | 31.2 | 8.6 | 26.2 | 3.9 | 30.1 | 75.8 | ||
| 1987 | 5.3 | 29.0 | 8.7 | 26.7 | 4.6 | 31.3 | 74.3 | ||
| 1988 | 4.9 | 27.6 | 8.6 | 27.0 | 4.9 | 31.9 | 73.0 | ||
| Year | Mild | Bitter I + II | Bitter III | Stout | Lager I + II | Lager III | Bitter total | Lager total | Total draught |
| 1990 | 4.1 | 25.8 | 8.9 | 27.2 | 5.3 | 32.5 | 71.6 | ||
| 2000 | 1.7 | 19.6 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 24.9 | 8.2 | 23.2 | 33.1 | 62.3 |
| 2001 | 1.5 | 18.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 24.6 | 8.4 | 21.6 | 33.0 | 60.6 |
| 2002 | 1.4 | 17.1 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 24.4 | 8.3 | 20.3 | 32.7 | 58.6 |
| 2003 | 1.2 | 15.9 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 24.7 | 8.5 | 18.9 | 33.2 | 57.1 |
| 2004 | 1.1 | 15.0 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 24.9 | 8.3 | 17.9 | 33.2 | 56.0 |
| 2005 | 1.0 | 14.2 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 25.2 | 8.2 | 17.1 | 33.4 | 55.2 |
| 2006 | 0.9 | 13.3 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 25.3 | 7.8 | 16.1 | 33.1 | 53.7 |
| 2007 | 0.8 | 12.9 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 24.8 | 7.3 | 15.9 | 32.1 | 52.4 |
| 2008 | 0.7 | 12.3 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 23.7 | 6.8 | 15.3 | 30.5 | 50.2 |
| 2009 | 0.6 | 12.2 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 23.7 | 6.6 | 15.4 | 30.3 | 49.9 |
| 2010 | 0.5 | 11.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 23.1 | 6.5 | 14.6 | 29.6 | 48.2 |
| 2011 | 0.5 | 11.6 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 22.8 | 6.6 | 14.7 | 29.4 | 47.8 |
| 2012 | 0.3 | 11.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 22.5 | 6.9 | 14.8 | 29.4 | 47.7 |
| 2013 | 0.3 | 11.1 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 21.7 | 6.9 | 14.4 | 28.6 | 46.4 |
| 2014 | 0.3 | 10.6 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 20.8 | 7.7 | 14.0 | 28.5 | 45.8 |
| 2015 | 0.3 | 10.3 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 19.7 | 8.2 | 14.0 | 27.9 | 45.1 |
| 2016 | 0.3 | 9.8 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 19.0 | 8.9 | 13.5 | 27.9 | 44.7 |
| 2017 | 0.3 | 9.1 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 18.0 | 9.2 | 12.9 | 27.2 | 43.4 |
| 2018 | 0.3 | 8.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 17.4 | 9.3 | 12.1 | 26.7 | 41.9 |
| 2019 | 0.2 | 7.9 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 16.7 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 26.4 | 41.1 |
| 2020 | 0.1 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 8.0 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 13.4 | 20.4 |
| 2021 | 0.1 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 10.1 | 8.3 | 7.2 | 18.4 | 27.7 |
| 2022 | 0.04 | 5.8 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 13.0 | 12.0 | 9.7 | 25.0 | 38.0 |
| 2023 | 0.04 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 9.6 | 25.0 | 38.5 |
| 2024 | 0.05 | 5.5 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 11.1 | 13.6 | 9.2 | 24.7 | 38.6 |
| Source: | |||||||||
| BBPA Statistical Handbook 2025, page 15. | |||||||||
| The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980, page 10. | |||||||||
| The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1988, page 16. | |||||||||
| UK % of draught beer by style | ||||
| Year | Mild | Stout | Bitter | Lager |
| 2000 | 2.73% | 7.06% | 37.24% | 53.13% |
| 2001 | 2.48% | 7.10% | 35.64% | 54.46% |
| 2002 | 2.39% | 7.17% | 34.64% | 55.80% |
| 2003 | 2.10% | 6.83% | 33.10% | 58.14% |
| 2004 | 1.96% | 6.79% | 31.96% | 59.29% |
| 2005 | 1.81% | 6.88% | 30.98% | 60.51% |
| 2006 | 1.68% | 6.89% | 29.98% | 61.64% |
| 2007 | 1.53% | 7.06% | 30.34% | 61.26% |
| 2008 | 1.39% | 7.37% | 30.48% | 60.76% |
| 2009 | 1.20% | 7.21% | 30.86% | 60.72% |
| 2010 | 1.04% | 7.26% | 30.29% | 61.41% |
| 2011 | 1.05% | 6.90% | 30.75% | 61.51% |
| 2012 | 0.63% | 6.71% | 31.03% | 61.64% |
| 2013 | 0.65% | 6.68% | 31.03% | 61.64% |
| 2014 | 0.66% | 6.77% | 30.57% | 62.23% |
| 2015 | 0.67% | 6.65% | 31.04% | 61.86% |
| 2016 | 0.67% | 6.71% | 30.20% | 62.42% |
| 2017 | 0.69% | 6.91% | 29.72% | 62.67% |
| 2018 | 0.72% | 6.92% | 28.88% | 63.72% |
| 2019 | 0.49% | 7.30% | 27.98% | 64.23% |
| 2020 | 0.49% | 6.86% | 27.45% | 65.69% |
| 2021 | 0.36% | 7.22% | 25.99% | 66.43% |
| 2022 | 0.11% | 8.42% | 25.53% | 65.79% |
| 2023 | 0.10% | 9.87% | 24.94% | 64.94% |
| 2024 | 0.13% | 11.92% | 23.83% | 63.99% |
| Source: | ||||
| BBPA Statistical Handbook 2025, page 15. | ||||
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