I recently concluded a poll with the question “What do you drink if there’s no cask beer?”
There were a record 52 responses, and the results were as follows (bear in mind that the poll allowed multiple answers):
Keg/smooth ale: 6 (11%)
Guinness: 26 (50%)
Imported lager: 21 (40%)
British-brewed lager: 8 (15%)
Keg cider: 7 (13%)
Wine: 5 (9%)
Spirits: 11 (21%)
Soft drinks: 7 (13%)
I go elsewhere: 16 (30%)
So clearly Guinness is the preferred alternative tipple, with imported lager a strong second, and very low showings for keg ales and wine. Personally I would tend to look for imported lager as the first option – I quite like Guinness on occasions but it tends to disagree with me.
Possibly I should have excluded the “I go elsewhere” option as I was thinking of work or family occasions where this isn’t really possible, but it does show that 30% of respondents are so attached to their cask beer they wouldn’t drink anywhere by choice that didn’t offer it.