A BREWERY has increased the alcohol level of a popular beer after finally answering punters’ prayers.
Marble Beer was among a string of big name brands to slash their booze content.
The controversial move came after new duty legislation by the government in August last year.
The Salford-based brewery reduced their traditional ABV of 3.9 per cent to 3.4 per cent.
But after listening to customers, the company have decided to restore their original percentage.
Marble Beer’s sales director, Paul Plowman, told Beer Today: “On the back of the change to duty relief made by the government, Marble made the decision to drop the ABV of Pint from 3.9% to 3.4%.
“The intention was to give us some breathing space when it came to our duty bill.
“While we were happy with the 3.4% version, it became apparent many of our loyal customers were not. Although we never compromised on quality, sometimes things just shouldn’t be messed with.
“As a result, we’ve gone back to the original 3.9% recipe, which hopefully will return Pint to one of the most loved and respected pints in the country!”
Pint is an ale with an all-pale malt bill, as well as New Zealand and US hops, which gives it a fresh citrusy taste.
It comes after drinkers of Grolsch were going hopping mad after it also reduced its alcohol strength.
The Dutch Pilsner has gone from 4% alcohol by volume (ABV) to 3.4%, according to The Grocer.
It comes after the beer was relaunched in the UK by brewer Asahi in 2020 after being discontinued the previous year due to a decline in popularity.
Before the relaunch, it was sold at 5% ABV and it continues to be sold at this higher strength in Europe.
Hophead has also been reduced from 3.8% to 3.4% ABV so its makers can take advantage of a new, lower rate of tax on alcohol under 3.5%.
And, John Smith’s bitter faced the same fate.
Owner Heineken said top-selling John Smith’s Extra Smooth will be reduced from 3.6 per cent ABV to 3.4 per cent.
Kronenbourg fans were also disappointed after the lager became the latest to slash its alcohol strength.
The French golden pale lager, recently rebranded 1664 Bière, has gone from five to 4.6 per cent ABV.
A HOST of beers, ciders and wines have been quietly weakened – leaving shoppers demanding a return to their original strength.
Analysis by the Sun has uncovered a raft of booze sold in supermarkets which now have lower alcohol contents – most likely in response to hikes in booze duty by the Government.
Wines have been impacted – with Sun Online previously revealing how mainstream brands including Blossom Hill and Hardys have lowered their ABVs following tax hikes.
We can expose further reductions. Taparoo Valley Australian Shiraz, sold by Tesco, was 14% in July 2022, at a cost of £3.99 for a 75cl bottle, but it has since fallen to 11%, with the same volume costing £4.15.
Caparelli Italian Rose Blush 75Cl, also sold only in Tesco, has fallen from 12% to 11%, but increased from £4.29 to £5.50 in two years.
Meanwhile Tesco Green Ginger Wine has been reduced from 15% in 2022, when it was sold as fortified wine, to its current level of 11.5%. The price has also increased from £3.75 to £4.50.
The UK Government’s alcohol duty reforms introduced in August last year resulted in the biggest increases in booze duty in almost 50 years.
The duty paid on a bottle of still wine was pushed up by 20%, or 44p, based on an average alcohol strength of 12.5% ABV.
Wines that are 11% currently have a £2.35 duty imposed on each bottle, whereas any between 11.5% and 14.5% command a flat tax rate of £2.67.
Under the new regime, the single amount of duty paid on wines between 11.5 and 14.5% ABV – £2.67 – will be replaced with increasingly higher payable amounts according to the strength of the wine.
That means a 75cl bottle of wine at 14.5% ABV will see wine duty increase from £2.67 per bottle to £3.21, based on a predicted RPI inflation rate of 3.65%.
But for an 11% bottle the duty payable will be much less at £2.43, an enormous difference of 78p.
Booze producers are also being incentivised to produce lower strength beers, with 3.4% bevvies falling into a lower tax bracket than 3.5% ones.
As a result Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, Grolsch Premium Pilsner and – as revealed today – Banks’ Amber Ale have been reduced to 3.4%.
Currently beer with a strength between 1.3% and 3.4% have a duty of £9.27 for each litre of pure alcohol, whereas beer with an alcohol strength of 3.5% to 8.4% carries a duty of £21.01 for each pure litre of alcohol.
The duty payable on each of these brackets are set to rise by inflation (around 3.65%) in February.
