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18.2% beer row leaves bitter taste

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Published Date: 05 August 2009
By David Maddox
A ROW is brewing in Holyrood over a motion condemning a Scottish company for producing the strongest beer in the world.
The Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, Robert Brown, has put down a motion attacking the new Tokyo* beer, believed to be the strongest beer in the world, produced by the Aberdeenshire-based brewery BrewDog.

Mr Brown called the beer's 18.2 per cent alcohol level "reprehensible in a society where the medical evidence shows that, across all age groups and socio-economic categories, individuals are drinking too much alcohol".

But Mr Brown's motion has been attacked by the company as a "nanny state" approach,

and Green MSP Patrick Harvie suggested his Liberal Democrat opponent was missing the point on Scotland's problem with booze.

"I doubt we'll see fans of Buckfast switching to niche micro-brewery beers like this, and Robert Brown should therefore simply calm down," he said.

"He shouldn't attack a small Scottish company which makes some great beers."





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  • Last Updated: 04 August 2009 9:27 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

The Col. of Monte Cristo,

05/08/2009 02:28:27
The stuff sells at £9.99 for a 330ml bottle and is four times as powerful as a bottle of 4.5 ABV lager...but ten times the price.

Maddox has a personal stake in another 18% ABV tipple, that retails at around a fiver for a 750ml bottle.

http://www.bumwine.com/md2020.html
2

Colin Wilson,

Aberdeen 05/08/2009 06:43:41
"the medical evidence shows that, across all age groups and socio-economic categories, individuals are drinking too much alcohol".

People who drink too much alcohol will NOT drink beer at £9.99 a bottle, when the same money would buy a half bottle of cheap spirits and still leave change.
3

Obanite,

05/08/2009 08:16:50
Wow! I agree with a Green MSP? Must be something in the water! :)
4

MRab2,

05/08/2009 09:26:18
This is ridiculus - as No1 pointed out it costs £9.99 for an alcopop sized bottle. But I;d like to add it will ONLY be available in speciality shops and NOT the supermarket.
The manufacturer has also said only a few hundred bottles will be produced. So what we're talking about is a collectors item for beer anoraks.

And yet based on the shrieking from the nannies you'd think there was a pump of this stuff going into every pub in the UK. It appears obvious they stopped listening after they heard beer and 18%.

"the medical evidence shows that, across all age groups and socio-economic categories, individuals are drinking too much alcohol"

Well maybe if your lot didn't spend every waking moment thinking up new ways to make life that little bit more miserable we wouldn't be drinking that much. :P
5

MRab2,

05/08/2009 09:29:06
Oh, a thought just occured. Despite being the equivalent of almost £17 per pint the nannies are all in a twist.
Have they just admitted that they don't think price is that big a factor when it comes to consumption?
Remember that next time they hike alcohol tax "for our own good".
6

ExpatBackinScotland,

Carnoustie 05/08/2009 10:36:26
This Beer is NOT THE STRONGEST IN THE WORLD!!!!

The strongest in the world is 27.6% and is in Berlin

Its not the % proof thats the issue but how you serve it. The beer above is served in shot glasses.
7

Itchy,

05/08/2009 11:16:03
I may add that 700ml of 40%abv whisky can be bought for about a tenner.

But that is ignored by the nannies.
8

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 05/08/2009 11:35:02
Bl00dy Hell!!!! I actually find myself agreeing with Patrick Harvie!!!!

The simple fact is, if you don't like it, don't drink it.

"reprehensible in a society where the medical evidence shows that... (blah, blah)"

It is reprehensible that an MSP is wasting parliament's time and our money moaning about a brewery making a strong beer.
9

Yeah1,

05/08/2009 15:32:59
#9

"It is reprehensible that an MSP is wasting parliament's time and our money moaning about a brewery making a strong beer."

Yes it is pretty ridiculous.

You don't get MSPs complaining about a cake manufacturer making an expensive and calorie-filled cake when Scotland has a high level of obesity do you?

Utter waste of time - if they want to stop alcolism they should be concentrating on cheap alcohol, not niche-market, expensive stuff like this.
10

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 05/08/2009 17:17:58
Blimey! I'm agreeing with Yeah1 too!

Well, sort of. The most effective way to tackle excessive drinking is to create a climate whereby you look a prat if you can't handle your drink.

I've experienced that kind of climate myself years ago and it is damned effective. Forget the nanny state rubbish and money-making taxes. Peer pressure is the only thing that will work in the end.

 

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