Is there not enough flavour in the real world?

"Herb and fruit infused beers are set to become a major growth category for brewers facing dwindling sales of ale". So said the article in beveragedaily.com today. Funnily enough the headline came from a report by a 'manufacturer of a new range of natural flavours'.

Beer has always looked to the natural world for inspiration for flavour. Whilst the overwhelming majority of beers use only malt, water, yeast and hops, there are many example of superb fruit lambic beers, beers with heather, beers with seaweed, beers with ginger, etc., etc,. The use of these 'adjuncts' is fine; the use of chemically manufactured 'flavours' is less conducive to the natural and real product we all seek.