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20 April 2007
Media missing out on seven million beer fans
Beer drinkers shun stereotypes – they’re young, affluent and, sophisticated
Beer is the drink of style of sophistication, finds new research into Britain’s drinking habits.
And there are now over 7.2 million people who want to read more in the media about beer, an increase of over one million since the research was first undertaken in 2005.
Beer fans shatter the stereotype many have of beery people. Half a million of them are women. They are upmarket, affluent, and tend to be aged 25-44, finds the research commissioned by the British Guild of Beer Writers.
Beer fans, broadly speaking, are people who drink a wide variety of beer styles (not just lager), and are interested in quality beer and new flavours says the report Beer in the Media which was undertaken by drinks’ marketing consultancy Storm Lantern.
British Guild of Beer Writers Chairman Tim Hampson said: “The research buries the myth that only wine is the drink of sophistication. Beer is not only an equal to wine, it clearly deserves greater serious coverage by the media – especially among those papers trying to appeal to people in the 25-44 age group.
“Beer fans are into beer because they are interested in food and drink generally. They also enjoy drinking good quality wine, like new recipes, new food products and exotic dishes. And better still they are avid readers of broadsheet press and magazines.”
Storm Lantern’s founder Pete Brown said: “This research proves emphatically that having an enthusiastic appreciation of beer is mainstream – most of the people drinking specialty beers and real ales do so not because they’re beer geeks, but because they are more discerning about all food and drink.
“They actively search out information from quality magazines and broadsheet newspapers. Brewers are obviously aware that these are the media their drinkers read because these are the media they regularly advertise in. More editorial content about beer would surely be welcomed by readers.”
Research methodology
The research was undertaken using TGI the largest research database in the UK, interviewing 25,000 people a year and asking about all their purchasing behaviour as well as lifestyle, attitudes and media consumption data.
The Beer in the Media report finds:
· There are over seven million ‘beer fans’ in the UK – people who drink beer, but also drink a wide variety of beer styles (i.e. not just lager), seek out new beers and are prepared to pay more for quality
· Beer enthusiasts are all around the country. They are young, upmarket, affluent and well-educated (55% aged 18-44, 63% ABC1)
· They are mainly male (but still include half a million women)
· They are voracious readers of quality newspapers and magazines, very interested in news and current affairs, travel sections, anything to do with new cars and gadgets.
· A wide variety of male-oriented magazines vie for their attention with quality newspapers and supplements.
· They are bon viveurs, passionate about food and drink, frequently entertaining at home if they are not in a pub or restaurant. They are inquisitive about food, but uninterested in low fat, fads and health scares –life is for living!
· They are twice as likely to read papers such as The Independent, Guardian and FT as the population as a whole. They are more likely to read these papers than wine drinkers are. (For example, 20% of all Guardian readers are beer fans).
Contact details:
Tim Hampson – Chairman British Guild of Beer Writer tim@infopub.co.uk
Tel: 07768 614283
Pete Brown, Founder, Storm Lantern. petebrown@stormlantern.co.uk. Tel: +44 (0)7941 123048.
Storm Lantern is a consultancy that helps people market alcoholic drinks.
List of BGBW’s Committee Members - all of whom can be contacted for independent comment on beer and brewing industry issues.
Pete Brown
52 Bayston Road, Stoke Newington, London, N16 7LT
07941 123048 (w)(m)
Marketing consultant and beer writer. Author of Man Walks into a Pub: A Sociable History of Beer. Contributor of articles on beer to trade and consumer press, specialising in the marketing and advertising of beer.
Melissa Cole
Flat 3, 79-81 Putney High St, London SW15 1SR.
07798 568400 (m)
melissa.cole@btopenworld.com
Freelance editor/columnist/journalist, specialising in all areas of the licensed trade, including beer appreciation, beer & food matching and general industry commentary. Lifestyle editor for on-line consumer site www.stylebible.com and media consultant.
Alastair Gilmour
11 Southfield Gardens, Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 4QR.
0191 488 4756 (h) 0191 201 6434 (w) 07930 144846 (m)
beers_andsomefeatures@hotmail.com
Writes on beer, breweries, pubs and people. Awarded the Guild's gold tankard in 2005, 2000 and 1998; pewter tankard 1997; Budweiser Budvar travel bursary 2002. Glenfiddich Food & Drink Awards 2004 regional writer.
Tim Hampson
Chairman
76 North Hinksey Lane, Botley, Oxford, OX2 0LY.
01865 245711 (h) 07768 614283 (mobile) 01865 790675 (fax)
tim@infopub.co.uk
Beer correspondent Good Food Live, contributor to the Sky Pub Channel, publications include Weekend Telegraph, What’s Brewing, Morning Advertiser, Brewers Guardian, The Guardian, The Independent, and American Brewer. Specialist knowledge of the image of beer, beer and food, developing beer menus, and the structure of the brewing and pub industry and author of Room at the Inn.
Ben McFarland
77 Prebend Gardens, Chiswick, London, W6 OXT.
07980 622437 (m)
mcfarlandben@btinternet.com
Freelance drinks and travel writer writing for a wide range
of consumer and trade titles including The Guardian, Independent on Sunday, London Lite, Theme Magazine, Beers of the World, Wine & Spirit, Publican amongst others. He was named the youngest ever Beer Writer of the Year in 2004 and again in 2006.
Larry Nelson
The Croft, 156 Peperharow Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 2PW.
01737 824312 (w) 01737 821128 (f) 01483 417559 (h) 07961396966 (mobile)
larry@advantagepublishing.co.uk
Editor and publisher of Brewers’ Guardian, the international brewing industry magazine; and from late-2005 editor and publisher of The Brewery Manual and Who’s Who, the authoritative annual guide to the UK alcoholic drinks trade.
Paul Nunny
Treasurer
Hillands, Stratford Road, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6HN.
07768 614065 (w)(mobile) 01206 322465 (h)(fax).
paul@nunny.fsbusiness.co.uk
Chief Executive of Cask Marque ( www.cask-marque.co.uk ), formed to improve the quality of cask ale and to promote its values. Contributor to a wide range of journals on the subject of cask ale quality. Former Director of Adnams & Co. PLC.
Adrian Tierney-Jones
Secretary
Lee Farm, Winsford, Exmoor National Park, Somerset,TA24 7HX.
01643 851469 (w)(h) 07969 068763 (m)
tierneyjones@btinternet.com
Freelance journalist whose work appears in What’s Brewing, the Morning Advertiser, the Field and Beers of the World amongst others. Books: West Country Ales, Pubs for Families and The Big Book of Beer. Editor of SIBA Southwest’s Brewers Herald. Experienced and passionate taster and talker on the world of beer. Also writes about cider. Website: www.beeralewhatever.com.
John White
2 Grasby Crescent, Grimsby, DN37 9HE.
01472 884768 (w), 07771 511534 (mo), 01212 756088 (fax)
john@whitebeertravels.com
Website: www.whitebeertravels.com
Plans beer hunts in Europe and the USA. Contributor to Tim Webb’s Good Beer Guide to Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg, Woods and Rigley’s The Beers of France, and van Tromp books on Flanders and The Netherlands. Downloadable beer guides to various places are available from his White Beer Travels website.
www.beerwriters.co.uk
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