Booze firm cuts strength of popular beer in weeks following Heineken and Carlsberg
A BOOZE firm has cut the strength of a popular beer and drinkers will be furious.
Brew Toon has dropped the ABV of its popular IPA M’Ango Unchained, from 5.8% to 5% ABV.
ABV stands for “alcohol by volume” and it is a measure of the percentage of pure alcohol in a beverage.
It helps customers understand the alcoholic strength in their drinks.
In a statement, the microbrewery told customers it “believed in transparency” and for that reason, have “not tried to sneak this change in silently”.
“Over the last year or two, we’ve noticed a growing change in consumer drinking patterns with more people choosing to drink lower to mid session ABV’s rather than chugging back pints of the higher ABV stuff (except for you hardcore few of course!).”
The fruity beer, which was voted the Most Successful Product in the North East Scotland 2020 Awards, costs £3.80 for a 440ml can.
It has received rave reviews from customers, including one punter on the PintPlease blog who described it as “very refreshing”.
Another beer lover said it had a “lovely mango flavour with a pepper undertone” adding it was “really nice“.
While a third described it as “mangotastic”.
Brew Toon said it is now fully sold out of the previous 5.8% version, with the new 5% version now available for customers to buy.
You can buy the product online from www.brewtoon.com.
It comes just weeks after Heineken and Carlsberg said they would change the strength of its beers.
Heineken cut the strength of SOL-branded beers from 4.2% to 3.4% on February 25.
A spokesperson previously said it was trying to make cost savings across the business and reduce the impact of inflation on punters.
Kronenbourg fans were left reeling after finding out last year the popular beer’s ABV had been slashed from 5% to 4.6%.
A spokesperson for Carlsberg Marston, which makes the drink, said it was “able to brew excellent beers with slightly less alcohol to deliver great taste and quality”.
OTHER BEER CHANGES
Hophead’s ABV was slashed from 3.8% to 3.4% last year, despite landlords having to pay the same wholesale price for the ale.
A spokesperson for Asahi, which makes the beer, said it had “done a lot of work on the 3.4% recipe”.
They added: “Moving to 3.4% and entering the lower threshold for duty supports our ability to invest in Dark Star, including continuing to grow Hophead as a national brand.”
In 2022, Heineken cut the ABV of iconic Aussie-themed Fosters from 4% to 3.7%.
Heineken said the decrease was due to people opting for lower percentage drinks.
A company spokesperson previously told The Sun: “We know consumers are increasingly choosing lower ABV beers and ciders as part of a healthy lifestyle.
How to save money buying alcohol
Alcohol can be pricey if you’re planning a party or hosting an event but there are ways to cut costs.
It’s always important to drink responsibly, here, Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements share some tips on getting booze for the best price.
Stocking up can mean big savings on drinks, especially if you want to buy wine or fizz.
The big supermarkets regularly offer discounts of 25% when you buy six or more bottles of wine. The promotions typically run in the lead up to occasions such as Bank Holidays, Christmas and Easter.
If you know you are going to need booze later in the year, it can be worth acting when you see offers.
Before buying your preferred drink make sure you shop around to find the best price – you can use a comparison site such as pricerunner.com or trolley.co.uk.
Don’t forget that loyalty cards can unlock better savings so make sure you factor that in too.
If you like your plonk, wine clubs can also be a good way to save money and try new varieties. You’ll usually have to pay a membership fee in return for cheaper price so work out if you will be buying enough to make the one off cost worthwhile.