Nicholson’s, the pub chain owned by Mitchells & Butlers, has revealed that golden and pale ales are increasingly popular with their customers.

The latest research from Nicolson’s which serves around 4.7 million pints of cask ale in its 80 pubs, shows that sales of paler-coloured ales are up 25% in the past five years, at the expense of traditional amber-coloured bitters. Nicholson’s top-selling beers in volume terms are still traditional amber ales, it said, but with the introduction of new hops from countries such as the United States, Australia and New Zealand, customers are opting for more lighter-coloured ales than ever.

Richard Yarnell, Nicholson’s beer sommelier, said: “Lighter-colour ales such as blonde, golden and pale ales have really grown in popularity over the last few years as we’ve seen a boom in the number of breweries in the UK and an increase in variety of styles and flavours in the market, which challenge more traditional beers and beer styles. These styles, while lighter in colour, often offer a huge variety of aromas and flavours due to the different hops used. They also offer an exciting entry into ale for guests used to drinking lager, as they offer great refreshment and drinkability for all, appealing equally to both men and women.”