Women are the "future of ale", according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), which suggests that brewers and pubs should consider aiming their marketing at female drinkers.

Research by the group indicates that eight out of 10 women have never tried real ale in a pub and that the marketing of ale can often exclude women.

CAMRA’s first female chair, Paula Waters, said: “Beer is marketed at men, and therefore there has been very little to interest women. At best they are inoffensively aimed at men and at worst they are down right patronising to women.

“More and more we see products that have been traditionally aimed at one gender – such as skincare products and cars – increasingly aimed at the other sex, with great results. If breweries and pubs were to involve and educate women drinkers then they can tap into a massive market and further the real ale revolution.”