Beer is Britain’s national drink. We consume 26 million pints of beer every day, the equivalent of 99 litres per head each year – compared to 22 litres of wine. The UK is the fifth-highest per capita beer-drinking nation in the world, after the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland and Austria. 98% of the beer sold in the UK is brewed in the UK, while 99% of the wine sold here is imported.

We have been brewing beer in this country since before Roman times; evidence of a 5,000 year-old malt kiln have been uncovered on Orkney. Beer was originally flavoured with a variety of herbs and spices and the hop, such a vital component of today’s beers, was only introduced to the UK in the 15th century.

Centuries later, beer has a unique presence UK life and culture. Not only is it our favourite drink, it’s also a symbol of our values: beer’s affordability, lack of pretension and widespread availability make it a very democratic drink. No wonder that the pint of beer, along with the pub, has been voted an 'icon of England'.