CAMRA’s Campaign to Get Cask Beer UNESCO Listed: A Pint of British Heritage

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), Britain’s most passionate defender of traditional beer and pub culture, has embarked on an exciting new journey, seeking UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for British cask ale. 

This isn’t just about what’s in the pint glass, it’s about preserving a living tradition, a community ritual, and a craft that has shaped British identity for centuries.

Why Cask Ale?

Cask ale, often called "real ale", is a uniquely British style of beer that undergoes secondary fermentation in the cask and is served without additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. It is unfiltered, unpasteurised, and full of flavour, often hand-pulled straight from the cellar, it’s a product of craftsmanship and care.

While the global beer market is awash with mass-produced lagers and canned craft brews, cask ale remains a stubbornly analogue experience. It's also one of the most sustainable forms of draught beer, requiring fewer preservatives, using reusable containers, and often produced by small-scale breweries that support local economies.

But with fewer pubs, changing drinking habits, and the rise of other styles, cask ale is at risk of being left behind.

CAMRA’s Vision

That’s why CAMRA is pushing for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition, to protect cask ale as a cultural tradition that deserves not just survival, but celebration. Similar listings have protected everything from Neapolitan pizza-making to Belgian beer culture.

According to CAMRA, the goal is not only to preserve the product itself, but also the broader ecosystem: the cellarmanship skills, the pub as a social space, the art of brewing cask beer, and the unique relationship between brewer, landlord, and customer.

What Would UNESCO Listing Mean?

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status doesn’t guarantee protection in the way a building might be listed, but it does shine a global spotlight on traditions that need support and recognition. It could:

Encourage government funding and education around cask ale.

Raise awareness among younger drinkers.

Inspire tourism to pubs and beer festivals.

Help keep independent breweries and pubs in business.

Secure cask ale’s future in a fast-changing drinks market.

How You Can Support It

CAMRA is encouraging members of the public, beer lovers, and pub-goers to back the campaign. You can:

Sign the petition on the CAMRA website.

Visit your local that serves cask ales and try something new.

Share stories and photos of your cask ale experiences on social media using CAMRA’s campaign hashtags.

Encourage friends to join CAMRA or attend a local beer festival.

Raising a Glass to Heritage

Britain’s relationship with beer isn’t just about drinking — it’s about community, culture, and continuity. With this campaign, CAMRA hopes to ensure that future generations will still be able to enjoy a lovingly kept pint of cask ale in a proper pub — just like their ancestors did.

So next time you’re in your local, take a moment to appreciate that pint of Best Bitter or Mild. It's more than a drink — it's a piece of living history.

https://camra.org.uk

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Brum! Brum! The Great British Beer Festival returns for 2025 and will be hosted at a brand-new location

Hailed as the UK’s most popular beer festival and hosted by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), it takes place this year for the first time at Birmingham’s iconic National Exhibition Centre (NEC) from 5 to 9 August.

Leaving the UK’s capital city after a successful 34-year stint in London, the festival’s new location makes it even easier for festival goers to raise a glass and explore the many drinks on offer.

CAMRA has been running beer festivals on this scale for 50 years, with the first four-day event taking place in 1975 at Covent Garden. 

The first Great British Beer Festival was held back in 1977 at Alexandra Palace. 

With tens of thousands planning to attend, the festival – which is part of CAMRA’s mission to bring together beer-lovers – will feature in excess of 500 cask and other beers, a dedicated cider and perry bar, ‘no and low’, wine and cocktails - catering for everyone. 

These are provided from renowned UK and international breweries including St Austell Brewery, Brains Brewery, Green Duck Beer Co, Harvey’s Brewery, Greene King, Siren and Thornbridge, as well as Birmingham-based Attic Brew Co.

Campaigning since 1971, CAMRA has been the leading light in ensuring quality cask beer, cider and perry can be enjoyed in pubs across the UK, while celebrating pubs, pints and people.

Alongside its famous selection of pints, attendees will also be able to enjoy a selection of food and snacks, as well as a variety of entertainment including live music in the afternoons and evenings.

And the winner of CAMRA’s much-coveted Champion Beer of Britain competition will be unveiled at the festival, with the winning beers available at the event.

Beer and pub lovers can also join the campaign, getting involved in CAMRA’s vital work, aimed at protecting pubs, protecting pints and championing people. There is also the chance to meet brewers at the Discovery bar, learning more about beer.

For non-beer drinkers, a wide array of ‘low and no’ alcohol drinks will be on offer, along with hot and cold drinks meaning there’s something for the whole group — or the designated drivers.

Adam Gent, CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival Organiser, told That's Food and Drink: “At CAMRA, we’re proud to stand for beer drinkers and pub-goers across the UK. 

"We know that pubs are a vital social centre for many and are passionate about promoting real, good-quality beer, cider and perry."

Adam went on to say: “The Great British Beer Festival is a fantastic way to bring people together and has played a leading role for more than half a century in our successful campaigning to protect our pubs and champion cask beer.

“Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or just curious to try something new — we’ll have more than 500 drinks across a range of styles to choose from, so you’re sure to find something you love. And after a year off, we’re delighted to be bringing the festival back bigger and better than ever at the iconic NEC in Birmingham, so let's raise a glass!”

To secure your tickets to the Great British Beer Festival and stay up to date with future events and campaigns from CAMRA, visit: www.camra.org.uk