Cask ale is seen as essential to the UK’s pub culture by four in five (80 per cent) UK drinkers, according to a new survey.

The study, conducted by Greene King brewery in support of Cask Ale Week, showed, despite the rise in prominence of alternative drinks, the vast majority of British beer fans still believe cask ale plays a vital role in the UK pub landscape, even if they don’t drink it.

Almost half of respondents (43 per cent) said cask ale is the freshest drink people can order at the bar, more so than lager (36 per cent) and notably more than coke (14 per cent).

Beer fans are certainly open to trying new drinks, with the enjoyment of discovering something new and enjoyable, the most popular reason for trying cask ales, according to almost a third of UK beer drinkers (30 per cent).

Greene King head brewer Jack Palmer said: “You could be forgiven for thinking that cask and real ales are declining in popularity, but it’s extremely refreshing to drinkers showing how popular they still are among UK beer, lager and cider fans.

“The process that goes into making a cask ale is extensive to ensure the best flavours are maximised and it’s great to see the art of brewing such ales is still so well supported in the community.

“We’d highly recommend heading down to one of our pubs and maybe uncover a new favourite.”