CUB lowers alcohol content of some of its brands

AB-InBev-owned Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has said it is aiming to meet the growing demands of consumers who want to moderate their drinking, by reducing the ABV in some of its mid and low-strength beers.

According to reports, Carlton Mid, Cascade Premium Light and VB Gold, will all see their ABV reduced, although the brewer has said it has no plans to alter the strength of its mid-strength juggernaut Great Northern.

A CUB spokesperson was quoted as saying that the decision was made to go ahead with the lower ABV beers when its brewers said they could make the change without impacting flavour.

The reduction of the ABV will mean the brewer can negate the impact of the twice-yearly tax increase on beer and keep offering these popular products at a value price-point, while maintaining its own profits.

The changes will see Carlton Mid go from 3.5 percent to 3.0 percent ABV, Cascade Premium Light will reduce from 2.6 per cent to 2.4 percent and VB Gold will go from 3.5 percent to 3.0 percent.

Industry insiders think that CUB’s current plan could be a disaster – as was the previous attempt to lower the alcohol content for the iconic VB brand under the old Foster’s regime. When SABMiller took over Foster’s in 2011, the first thing SABMiller did was to revert back to VB’s original alcohol content, acknowledging that alcohol content does have an impact on taste.

Aussie drinkers obviously pride themselves on their collective ability to judge the beers they are drinking regularly. In spite of any declaration that no flavour change will result, they will “detect” a change, having been told about it!

Let’s assume that AB-InBev’s people are aware of the past history but they are probably adamant that the changes are made. After all, it’s the tax load on beer that makes the popular Aussie drink so excruciatingly expensive.