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Topic Originator: Mario
Date: Sun 14 Jul 09:24
Not one for real ale/craft beers, just the industrially produced lager type easy swiggers for me
So, no idea what the average ABV of specialist beers is, but that for Becks, Bud, etc seems to be creeping steadily downwards. Example: 0.5 litre Bavaria bottle was 5% now a measly 4.3%. At least my beloved Peroni is still clinging on at 5.1% though I’m sure it used to be higher.
Any ideas why? Brewers coining it? Nanny state interference?
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Topic Originator: DBP
Date: Sun 14 Jul 09:52
Think people don't want strong beers so much anymore... I'm sure a few beers brought out 4% lager a while back and they did really well, so assume brewers are meeting customer demand.
Funny you use the words nanny state as that's the name of a new alcohol free IPA that supposedly is doing great business (I've tried one and it's actually really nice and if you didn't know, would never guess it's no alcohol)
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Sun 14 Jul 10:03
I think it's a tax thing. I'm sure I read somewhere that beers under a certain % pay less. They're also allowed 0.5% leeway on the actual alcohol content so quite a few beers are brewed to less than the stated %.
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Topic Originator: Mario
Date: Sun 14 Jul 10:54
There have always been alcohol free/lower alcohol choices, priced accordingly.
The lowering of alcohol in other beers does not appear to be accompanied by lowering of price though.
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Topic Originator: Berry
Date: Sun 14 Jul 11:33
Quote:
Mario, Sun 14 Jul 10:54
There have always been alcohol free/lower alcohol choices, priced accordingly.
The lowering of alcohol in other beers does not appear to be accompanied by lowering of price though.
Don't think they should be lowering the price of alcohol if they've been lowering the %.
Alcohol isn't exactly something that should be promoted.
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Topic Originator: veteraneastender
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:17
"Budweiser in a can also used to 5% and now it's also 4.3% and I wouldn't be surprised if its 3.8% in reality."
If memory serves, the actual strength cannot be less the 0.5% as stated on the can or label, otherwise they are in breach of excise law.
The same applies if the strength is 0.5% above - but that is never going to happen in reality.
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Topic Originator: The One Who Knocks
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:29
Are you sure about the bud in a can not being 5%?
And although my eyes were open
They just might as well be closed
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:29
Agreed as per the above 😉
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:32
Quote:
The One Who Knocks, Sun 14 Jul 12:29
Are you sure about the bud in a can not being 5%?
Unless you get different versions in cans - yes. I went through a wad of 440ml cans on Friday night and felt surprisingly ok on Saturday morning so I double checked the % and the ones I had were 4.3%. Think its possibly still 5% in pubs on draft in some places.
I normally drink the green I&G these days and it definitely felt a lot weaker than that.
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:35
Just double checked the box and it was 4.5! Obviously not as well as I thought I was Saturday morning
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Topic Originator: Andrew283
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:37
Stella Artois 4% stuff was absolutely dreadful. Not always a fan of super strong beers/lagers but that was awful. The best now that I know outside Peroni is Inns and Gunns lager
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Topic Originator: veteraneastender
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:46
Do Innis & Gunn have their own brewing premises yet ?
Was outsourced to Belhaven at one time, later to Tennents.
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Topic Originator: moviescot
Date: Sun 14 Jul 12:53
Tiny Rebel beers are good. Their tropical IPA is really nice. Small Welsh brewer.
Also beavertoon is good. They do Neck Oil and Gamma Ray. Both excellent.
Punk IPA, dead pony and kingpin from Brewdog also good.
A good site to get great beer at reasonable prices is beerwulf. Found many a nice beer on here.
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Topic Originator: veteraneastender
Date: Mon 15 Jul 11:55
HMRC keep close contact with breweries and distilleries in respect of tax matters.
HM Customs and Excise (as was) had a permanent office in Alloa back in the days when brewing and distilling was a major local industry.
I mind their uniformed officer visiting Maclays to oversee the destruction of spoiled ale that was being destroyed to recover the duty paid.
I believe he may have been quite liberal with his assessments - when all the paperwork was completed he was invariably invited into the brewery taproom for refreshment.
Although I'm not sure how widespread it was, in past eras some distilleries had a resident C&E officer who lived on site with his family.
Going back to the 1930s, AFAIK, one Edinburgh based brewer (name escapes me) went out of business after messing around with C&E.
UPDATE - It was Bell's Brewery (Edinburgh United Breweries) that was closed by C&E in 1934. Now houses the university's sports facilities.
Post Edited (Mon 15 Jul 17:44)
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Mon 15 Jul 13:20
Quote:
veteraneastender, Sun 14 Jul 12:46
Do Innis & Gunn have their own brewing premises yet ?
Was outsourced to Belhaven at one time, later to Tennents.
Yeah they've got a place in Perth and are looking at building another place in Edinburgh if they haven't already done it.
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Topic Originator: veteraneastender
Date: Mon 15 Jul 16:44
Thanks LP.
Did they acquire the Inveralmond premises ?
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Mon 15 Jul 20:50
Not sure actually mate. I'll have a look. All I know is that they raised the funds to buy the place through a Brewdog style patrons thing.
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Topic Originator: donj
Date: Mon 15 Jul 20:52
If you like lager try Hobgoblin Gold.£1.25 a bottle at Aldi's and Asda's.Best beer I've ever had.
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Topic Originator: londonparsfan
Date: Mon 15 Jul 20:53
Cheers Donj never tried it so I'll give it a bash.
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Topic Originator: donj
Date: Mon 15 Jul 21:44
In fact drinking an Innes and Gunn which I used to love just now and missing my Hobgoblin.I'll be in Aldi's tomorrow lol.
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Topic Originator: veteraneastender
Date: Mon 15 Jul 23:27
"If you like lager try Hobgoblin Gold"
Major league stuff - but don't be misled by the colour, it's an EPA (English Pale Ale) style, - the hoppy taste might not appeal to lager drinkers.
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