One in four Brits describe themselves as real ale enthusiasts with 12million Brits now drinking real ale and more than one million women saying it’s their drink of choice. Meanwhile 20% of young Brits (18-24 years old) say they have moved away from lager towards real ale and 45% saying it’s now the fashionable drink of the moment. This is definitely no longer the “old man’s preserve nor does it seem to be a passing fad as a demand surges. But how much do you know about your favourite tipple? Did you know that the word ale is over 1,000 years old but brewing itself can be traced back many more millennia, with evidence of brewing found over 7000 years ago? To meet the booming demand and give local communities a chance to support their local breweries, The Co-operative is announcing that is will be stocking locally-sourced real ales in every part of the UK. Watch the video featuring actor, comedian and real ale enthusiast Rufus Hound and let him transport you on a journey back in time as he charts the prevalence of ale in history. With interesting facts and an archive of vintage images from the early ages of brewing.