Breweries pass the 2,000 mark for first time since the Thirties

 The craft beer boom has resulted in the number of breweries in the UK surpassing 2,000 for the first time since the Thirties.

The number has climbed by 64 per cent over the past five years after a sharp rise in consumption of local beers and ales, a study by UHY Hacker Young, an accountancy group, found.

According to CGA Strategy, a food and drink researcher, craft beer sales across the UK were worth £814million in the 12 months to September, a rise of 10 per cent on last year, equal to 185million pints.

James Simmonds, of UHY Hacker Young, said: “There is plenty of growth still to come. However, the majors are beginning to make a fightback by acquiring craft brewers and launching their own artisan-style brands.”

It comes just as craft beer lovers are about to feel a pinch in their pockets from the rising price of hops.

Ingredients are commonly imported from the US, where prices of hops have soared by up to 60 per cent.

Experts warn it will mean a rise in prices for craft beers and could also push some UK craft beer makers out of business.