‘Mad scientists of sour beer’ Vault City Brewing reveal UK’s most ‘experimental’ cities when it comes to trying new drinks

LOCKDOWN has made the UK ‘more curious’ when it comes to testing out a new tipple, a new study has found. 

Research conducted by the UK’s top sour beer producer Vault City revealed around a third (31%) of UK drinkers are likely to be ‘more experimental’ when it comes to choosing drinks than they were prior to March 2020. 

The study, commissioned to gauge how life has changed three years on from the UK going into lockdown, also found almost three in 10 people are more likely to spend more on less alcohol than they would before the pandemic – suggesting a shift in attitudes towards ‘more premium’ beverages. 

Drinkers in Norwich and Sheffield (both 39%) are most likely to be more experimental when choosing alcohol as a result of lockdown, ahead of London and Birmingham (both 38%) with Glaswegians (36%) making up the top five. 

Vault City is the UK’s largest sour beer producer, supplying more supermarket giants Tesco and Morrisons as well as more than 200 independent bars and restaurants across the UK. The brewer has just released three new sour beers – Paradise Punch – Kiwi Melon Mango Session Sour; Mango Raspberry Melba; and Overnight Oats – Blueberry, Raspberry, Acai, Maple Syrup and Coffee in collaboration with Overtone.  

Steven Smith-Hay, founder of Edinburgh-based Vault City Brewing, which produces new sour beers every fortnight with flavours ranging from ‘Iron Brew’ and ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ to ”Winter Berry Smoothie’ and ‘Mango, Banana, and Coconut Crumble’, said: “We’re known as the mad scientists of sour beer for our weird and wacky flavour combinations, and we always encourage people to be more experimental when it comes to trying new drinks. 

“Our sales have really spiked since lockdown, and I think it’s a combination of people being willing to try new things, but also expecting more from the drinks they spend their hard-earned money on. 

“I think the days of ‘drink as much as you can for as little as you can’ are gone for most, and drinkers are becoming more discerning in their tastes. We’ve noticed they are more willing to pay more for a premium product, with emphasis on production, provenance, and experience rather than price.

“This appears to be a legacy of lockdowns, and shows that for many, the nation’s relationship with alcohol is changing.” 

The UK’s Top 10 ‘Most experimental’ cities with alcohol choices: 

1. Norwich 39%

= Sheffield 39%

3. London 38% 

= Birmingham 38%

5. Glasgow 36%

6 Bristol 35%

7. Manchester 32% 

8. Edinburgh 30%

= Liverpool 30%

10. Cardiff 28%

= Nottingham 28% 

To try Vault City’s sour beers, visit vaultcity.co.uk/collections/beers.