'The Government intends to introduce a new additional duty on beers over 7.5% abv in strength. This will help to address the consumption of cheap, “super strength” lagers that are also associated with high, and dangerous, levels of alcohol consumption.' More here.
But you'll be pleased to know that high and dangerous levels of cider consumption have already been dealt with by introducing a minimum juice content.
Tossers.
So Dark Island imperial stout (that staple of pre-loaders, naturally) is victimised because kids got fucked up on wkd's, cans of stella and cheap vodka.
ReplyDeleteIt's insane.
I would have thought there was a golden opportunity here for CAMRA to campaign for an exemption from this new tax for cask- and bottle-conditioned products, whether home produced or imported.
ReplyDeleteIt's only beers above 7.5% ABV that are going to be taxed more, not wkd's, cans of Stella and cheap vodka. But beer is evil, of course.
I'm still grinding my teeth about this. I can't see any reason for it apart from head line grabbing.
ReplyDeleteWhat about pretty much all belgian beers? There already expensive enough!
ReplyDeleteHeadline grabbing, just about sums it up, Ed. Yet again it shows just how out of touch government ministers are with ordinary people, and how much they are in the pay of the "health lobbyists", who see all alcohol as bad.
ReplyDeleteDidn't the French try this back in 2003? What happened about that? Didn't the Belgians object then?
ReplyDeleteIf the Belgians can save us from this I'll toast them with a glass of Duvel!
ReplyDeleteMaking bottle conditioned beers exempt would still exclude a vast amount of products, like Brewdogs range, Old Tom and a lot others. They could make the law just apply to bottom fermented lagers rather then top fermented, but that would still put up the tax on imported strong lagers.
ReplyDelete