Just a quick thread to see what peoples opinions are on this. I have noticed over the last year or so the rather stealthy reduction in strength of well known beers and in some cases wines. So I did some digging. ABinBev are a large multinational brewing company that own the brewing rights in the uk to a fair few brands, but the most well known are Stella Artois, Becks, Budwiser and Boddingtons. It may be common knowledge to some but to people who do not study the small print on the rear of their cans or pump signs it may be interesting to know all of these beers have been reduced in ABV compared to their original strength for the UK market only. Stella that is sold in mainland Europe at 5.2% is now 4.8 in the UK. That's just for the UK, everyone else in Europe gets the proper stuff. Recently Carlsberg the owners of Tuborg in the UK have announced a reduction in ABV from 4.6% to 4%. Also noticed that Brands such as Blossom Hill are doing the same to their wines. As are Co-Op with some of their own brand wines. Knocking the odd .5%or 1% from their wines in the small print. The same wine you bought your other half the week before was stronger, and likely the same price. I am sure there are many other examples. I know the commercial element to why this is being done due to duty and trying to keep prices down but my issue with it is how it is being done with no notice to the consumer, be it in the pub or from the supermarket. In a nutshell these brands can be avoided but regardless whether these brands make up your staple selection of tipple I would be interested in peoples opinions on why we in the UK are being targeted in a fairly underhand manner.
And this is a problem how? Over the last decades wines and beers have been increasing in alcohol content. If anything a reduction would restore the previous situation. I for one would love to find more decent wines with 12% alcohol or less. And frankly seeing how Brits behave compared to mainland European drinkers, I think you guys just can't handle your booze.
If you drink to get drunk then just switch to cheap cans of white cider. The drink of choice for the homeless alcoholic. If there's more to your drinking than to consume alcohol as quickly and cheaply as possible then I wouldn't worry about a small reduction in ABV.
I stick to spirits where I can, microbrewery IPA ale if I am on the beer. What is wrong with a reduction in alcohol content? How should they have told you?
Not really seeing what the problem is here. I pick my drinks on the basis of taste, not strength (although I will avoid anything that's too close to rocket fuel).
I've not got a problem with it at all. Frankly if you purchase alcohol based on it's percentage then best you start drinking value lager made by big brand supermarkets. Leave the good stuff to the rest of us. Speaking of good stuff, anyone else tried Adnams Sole star, it's a light brown ale and really refreshing this time of year, 2.4% which is why it's so refreshing in this heat.
It's a combinatory effect - inflation, tighter spending in pubs and a very poor wheat crop last year means that the breweries want to sell you beer at the same price as the last couple of years. Thing is, that costs them more now, so if they reduce the alcohol content slightly they can pay less duty to shore up their profits. And, as a bonus, you can enjoy more of it without worrying about being mashed. Personally I've been drinking ale at c.4% for years and feeling better for it compared to 5% lager!
Did you not get the email Mr bungle, you must have been missed off the mailing list. I've moved on from drinking based on abv since a bad incident with Stella or was it kronie? I can't remember. Now I buy based on taste, or stick to the lighter stuff, I enjoy fosters, Carling or cider. I recently discovered the mojito. Quite partial to that, I'm also getting into whiskey but I'm moving from drinking to get drunk, to drinking for a nice couple of enjoyable drinks. As such I'm not bothered about whether it is being reduced or not. In all honesty it is probably a good thing given the drinking mentality in this country at the minute.
Oh I still get mashed from time to time, but its all about the taste. I got train wrecked on 750ml of glenlivet 12 yr single malt about two years ago. Thing about single malt whiskey and I am not the only one to have had this, but it you get train wrecked and it sours your stomach for a long long time, the smell of whiskey can cause vomit inducing thoughts and feelings. I was a huge single malt drinker (not an alcoholic), and 2 years on from that massive wreak of a night and I can only just now start getting back into it. The day after the heavy night my colleague who I car pooled with had to pull over 3 times on the way to work just so I could chuck up in the nearest hedge, then spent the whole day every 15min visiting the toilet. Pure evil alcohol poisoning I care not to repeat ever!
This is hardly new... They can't put the prices up - people will whine... They can't make the bottles smaller - see above... So the only option left to them is water it down... I addition to this, a few months ago Anheuser-Busch were accused of secretly watering down their products... Accusations of watering the stuff down have been around as long as booze has... Now... let me drink my Pusser's in peace... [it being 54.5% abv is largely a large grey pachyderm]
Pusser's and Woods are my rums of choice [both 'Navy' rums iirc]... none of that Bacardi crap... and yes, it can be evil if you drink too much... as i found out after drinking a entire bottle of the Woods stuff [over about 12-15 hours]
I'm mainly a vodka drinker but also enjoy a cold Budweiser (or several others), haven't give a lot of though to ABV since I was 18-19yo and very often now choose Stella 4% over standard and carling C2 as I'm naturally a quick drinker, more so on a hot summer day. I don't see why its stealthy so much as if the ABV is wrote on the bottle/can you pickup and buy, its it more of a fact you've failed to notice the change. I don't see this is such a deal breaker to warranty TV coverage to let to UK population know they are at risk of a lower ABV intake this weekend. Only instance I see against the above is buying in a pub / bar but I honestly have my doubts if what you get in the glass is always the same you would get if you got a can at asda
Its the UK government making the drinks company's lower it... http://www.just-drinks.com/comment/comment-beer-cutting-abv-only-half-the-solution_id106535.aspx
Certainly with wines it is not unusual for alcohol content to fluctuate a little from year to year with vintage. Mostly as more alcohol resistant yeasts are developed, the trend is for it to go up. Also people want more intense flavours, hence grapes stay longer on the vine. This is easier to do now as farming methods are more sophisticated. Back in the 80's you would not find many wines --or beers-- as strong as they are now.
I drink to get drunk.. who drinks lagar for the taste? Rather have a glass of fresh orange juice. The usual Carlberg piss I drink is 4.8, thought it was 5.0. Oh well.
Yes, it's part of the Responsibility Deal. No secret about it. On the other hand, the alcohol companies are more than willing to take part - it's being done by agreement, not by regulation.
