Anheuser-Busch InBev cuts alcohol in UK beers

[Alidar Jarok]

link

Lager drinkers are in for a shock after brewing giant AB InBev decided to cut the alcohol volume in Stella Artois, Budweiser and Beck's, according to The Grocer.
The shake-up of the three top brands should save millions of pounds that will offset duty hikes and cost increases, the trade magazine says.
The world's largest brewer is cutting the alcohol volume of the popular beers from 5per cent to 4.8per cent.

It's not a huge change and I'm not sure how many drink Budweiser in the UK, but it's still an annoying change (plus, Stella isn't bad). On a side note, I think it does help illustrate how huge this one beer company is.

 

[Pingfah]

Stella is OK, but I don't ever buy it for home consumption. I do drink it in bars occasionally though.

I wouldn't drink the other 2 if you paid me, especially Budweiser.

 

[Maestro]

Although I'm American, I'm sure I speak for beer drinkers around the world when I say, "So?"

It's not like the alcohol content on Young's or Founder's is being cut back.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

That's only a 4% reduction in the actual alcohol content. I doubt anyone will notice.

 

[MacLeod]

Hands up, who actually reads the ABV when purchasing Alcohol? Ok maybe on wine but on Beer/Lager.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I do, but the beers I buy are usually in the 9% range.

 

[MacLeod]

Well as a work in retail, the beer/lager people usually choose is

1.>Their usual brand (even if it is a super strength)
2.>Which ever one is on offer.

 

[RoJoHen]

I do, but the beers I buy are usually in the 9% range.

I check it out of curiosity, but it's never the reason I buy beer. I tend to buy heavier microbrews, so the alcohol content is usually higher.

 

[captcalhoun]

so Budweiser becomes even more like gnat's piss, then?

 

[Goliath]

Hands up, who actually reads the ABV when purchasing Alcohol? Ok maybe on wine but on Beer/Lager.

I do, sometimes. Sometimes I want a lower alcohol beer. And sometimes I want higher.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

I didn't realize Budweiser had measurable alcohol content in it.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Still more than what we get in North America, which most of the time is 4%.

 

[RoJoHen]

Still more than what we get in North America, which most of the time is 4%.

It is? I'm pretty sure it's at least 5% here in Illinois. I know different states/counties/cities have different laws, though.

 

[Bisz]

Hands up, who actually reads the ABV when purchasing Alcohol? Ok maybe on wine but on Beer/Lager.

/me puts his hand up.

 

[Bisz]

Well as a work in retail, the beer/lager people usually choose is

1.>Their usual brand (even if it is a super strength)
2.>Which ever one is on offer.

Life it too short to drink shitty beer. Neither I nor anyone I know buy beer to get drunk, we buy it because we enjoy good beer. We try all different kinds, compare and contrast and have a good time doing it.

Alcohol content is not the be all, end all, I love Guinness and its only 4.6% or there about, but most beers I drink are over 5%.

 

[RoJoHen]

Life it too short to drink shitty beer. Neither I nor anyone I know buy beer to get drunk, we buy it because we enjoy good beer. We try all different kinds, compare and contrast and have a good time doing it.

I know lots of people who buy cheap, shitty beer just to get drunk. Or they buy cheap, shitty beer because they don't know any better. I know I went through a lot of Bud Light before I eventually started trying other things. Now Bud Light just tastes like carbonated water to me.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Still more than what we get in North America, which most of the time is 4%.

It is? I'm pretty sure it's at least 5% here in Illinois. I know different states/counties/cities have different laws, though.

Yeah, at least with the major breweries like Labatts and Molson and any of the others associated with them, which is most of the mass-produced stuff in Canada, most of which are 4%. The micros are different in that you can encounter ones with higher percentages, like 7%, 9%, 10%+.

 

[Goliath]

Yeah, at least with the major breweries like Labatts and Molson and any of the others associated with them, which is most of the mass-produced stuff in Canada, most of which are 4%.

I'm pretty sure that 5% is the standard in Canada.

 

[Maestro]

Really, though, if you're British and drinking InBev, I don't know that you really count as a beer drinker. Thus, you're dumb and we don't care if you get screwed over.

On that note, no one better mess with my Spotted Cow.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, at least with the major breweries like Labatts and Molson and any of the others associated with them, which is most of the mass-produced stuff in Canada, most of which are 4%.

I'm pretty sure that 5% is the standard in Canada.

You might be right. I think I'm a bit off on the numbers. I guess I got confused with the light beers being around 4.0. It's still not really enough to notice in terms of alcohol though.

Found this interesting article which might help clear some of the confusion people are having:

http://www.fermentarium.com/industr...-vs-american-beer-the-alcohol-content-battle/