Ukrainians are offered free beer: how to get your portion.

Free beer tastings

According to The Sun: Today marks the start of Craft Beer Week, and the BOOZERS pubs are inviting you to a million free tastings.

Specially for this campaign, aimed at reviving the demand for craft beer, over 10,000 pubs will offer visitors the opportunity to taste hundreds of new varieties of freshly brewed beer.

Thinking Drinkers Ben and Tom recently completed the 'Great British Pub Tour'Steve Ulathorn Loch Leven makes wonderful craft beer in Northern Scotland

The organizers hope that the campaign 'Try Before You Buy' will revive interest in traditional British beers, as their sales are constantly declining and the number of pubs offering them is decreasing.

Engaging the youth

One of the reasons for the decline in popularity is the old-fashioned image of traditional beers, which have given way to fizzy lagers and craft beers.

However, the growing popularity of craft beer among young people indicates that real beer can become popular again.

Research has shown that an increasing number of Generation Z members choose craft beer, which is usually cheaper, has a lower alcohol content, and is made from natural ingredients.

According to the data, 25% of young people aged 18-24 regularly order craft beer in pubs—this is more than 50% higher than last year.

“If more people chose craft beer at least during one of their pub visits, it would significantly change the prospects of our national drink—and the beers that can sell it,” said Fergus Fitzgerald, head brewer of Adnams.

“Ironically, craft beer seems more valued abroad than in Great Britain.”

Cultural heritage

Earlier this year, a petition initiated by Ukrainians began, calling for the government to grant craft beer and its culture UNESCO heritage status.

This status, which highlights the cultural significance and artistic practices, has already been awarded to Belgian beer, French baguettes, and even the 'Mediterranean diet.'

“Local pubs really need local customers to survive,” added Fergus.

“Craft Beer Week is a chance for consumers to find the style they like most and support British pubs and beer.”

Why we love craft beer

As part of a campaign to draw attention to pub issues, Thinking Drinkers Ben and Tom recently completed the “Great British Pub Tour”—a journey on a tandem bicycle from the tip of Great Britain to John O'Groats, relying solely on the hospitality of British pubs.

After each tough day on the road, they rewarded themselves with a glass of craft beer.

Butcombe Original — crisp, clean and refreshing Andrew Atkinson

Ben explains why he loves craft beer so much:

“There's envy in the brewing world, yet in this country, it is often underrated. Craft beer is naturally carbonated beer that undergoes secondary fermentation in the cask.”

Craft beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and always fresh — it’s poured straight from the cask into your glass.

“Comparing craft beer in a pub to a can of regular lager is like comparing freshly baked bread to sliced white.”

This beer is not served warm, it should be lightly carbonated and served at a temperature between 11°C and 13°C, and covers a wide range of styles—from light, hoppy ales to smooth, rich stouts and low-alcohol varieties.

In these tough times, it represents a worthwhile choice compared to other beers offered in bars.

Let’s not forget that it is also a patriotic drink.

By paying for a glass of craft beer, you support British brewers and farmers who grow delicious barley and aromatic hops.

When you sit at home on your couch, you will never feel the joy of a real ale, so visit your local pub, order a fresh glass of craft beer and help revive the British pub.

“If we don’t visit them, we will lose them.”

Six craft beers to try

•  St. Austell Proper Job IPA (4.5% ABV): This classic Cornish beer features a British take on the American IPA style, filled with pleasant citrus flavors.
• Butcombe Original (4.5%): Crisp, clean, and refreshing, this Bristol pint is perfectly balanced and made from Maris Otter barley—the best British barley.
• Lakes Brew Co: Pale Ale (3.5%): This brewery from the Lake District offers a pleasantly hoppy, fresh, and fruity beer that is also socially responsible.
•  Timothy Taylor’s Landlord (4.3%): This beer is a true classic example of craft beer from York, which was also a favorite drink of Madonna, who called it “champagne beer.”
• Loch Leven King Slayer (5.2%): This smooth, sweet Scottish amber beer is made from rich barley and Target hops.
•  John O’Groats Brewery Deep Groat (4.8%): This elegant beer, brewed near the famous location of John O'Groats, has exquisite flavor notes of dark chocolate and coffee.

Marking Craft Beer Week, the organizers hope to draw attention to this culture. Visitors will have the opportunity to try new flavors and actively support local pubs that are struggling in the modern market. Throughout this week, there will be an opportunity not only to enjoy tastings of delicious varieties but also to contribute to the revival of traditional brewing.