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| Pity The Pub |
| Chocolate Beer |
| The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) says total beer sales for 2007 are down 22% - some seven million pints a day fewer than their peak in 1979. The BBPA said one reason for this was that the tax on beer had increased by 27% since 1997 - compared to 16% for wine, 3% for spirits and 11% for cider. BBPA chief executive Rob Hayward told MPs: "We believe the benefits that have been enjoyed by other drinks from a tax freeze should be extended to Britain's national drink - beer. Britain has the highest level of excise duty in the EU and sales in the on-trade are falling, and yet binge-drinking is on the increase as supermarkets cynically exploit the consumer by offering cut-price booze to drink at home. "A pub is the proper place to enjoy a drink in a responsible and regulated atmosphere." Part of the long-term trend has been the move towards drinking at home. In the late 70s, 90% of beer was drunk in pubs, but the figure now stands at 58%. While the biggest casualties of Britain's increasing preference for wine and spirits have been the pubs, they are, however, not alone: overall beer sales have plunged by 22% from the peak 1979 level. . Since 1997, beer duty has risen by 27% while consumption has fallen by 11%. Wine duty, meanwhile, has increased by just 16%, while wine-drinking has gone up by 46%. It's a similar story with spirits: although consumption has risen by 20% over the last decade, duty has increased by only 3%. Major British brewers saw their profits tumble by 78% between 2004 and 2006. The BBPA says they are being further hobbled by the Treasury's insatiable coffers. It estimates that beer companies make only 0.7 pence profit per pint while paying the chancellor 33p a pint. |
| The earliest chocolate drinks were invented at least 3,100 years ago and were probably a beer-like beverage instead of the sweet treat people now crave, according to researchers led by John Henderson of Cornell University who studied the remains of pottery vessels dating from about 1100 BC in Puerto Escondido, Honduras. They discovered that the residues in the pottery vessels contained a chemical compound that comes exclusively from the cacao plant -- the source of chocolate. According to the scientists, the early chocolate drinks were probably alcoholic brews, or beers, made from the fermented pulp of the cacao fruit. "The earliest cacao beverages were likely produced by fermenting the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds," the scientists wrote. Henderson added that it was likely that the distinctive taste of chocolate was stumbled upon by ancient brewers in brewing up this primitive beer. "In the course of beer brewing, you discover that if you ferment the seeds of the plant you get this chocolate taste," he said. "It may be that the roots of the modern chocolate industry can be traced back to this primitive fermented drink." |
| QUICK HITS |
Dixie Returns- Dixie Brewer is nationally known for their Blackened Voodoo
Lager and Jazz Amber Light beers. Dixie was producing just under 50,000 barrels a
year until Katrina's storm surge flooded the brewery and looters devastated it.
But a century after its founding, the beer is coming back, say Joe and Kendra Bruno,
who've struggled to keep the brewery going since buying it in 1986. Dixie is now
the last major independent brewer in the Deep South but is struggling in it's
comeback as it's having diffiuclty finding shelf space.
Beer Cheaper Than Water - British supermarkets are selling beer at prices
cheaper than water and soft drinks, with cans sold for as little as 50 cents each.
Supermarkets were stocking shelves with beer priced so low they were actually losing
money. Many of the major supermarkets were now selling beer for just 50 pence
($1.15) a litre. The same supermarkets sell mineral water for 56p-92p a litre.
The British health department has commissioned an independent review of alcohol
pricing and promotion and has not ruled out changing regulations. Policy director at
health group Alcohol Concern Don Shenker said thatthe prices could have contributed
to the UK's binge drinking problem.
Seniors Need Beer - Men over 65 years of age having consumed alcohol
during the year before display a higher bone density compared with total abstainers.
Such is the conclusion of an American study involving 6 000 senior male subjects. The
results of a three year study showed a positive link between higher alcohol
consumption and bone density.
Lager and Jazz Amber Light beers. Dixie was producing just under 50,000 barrels a
year until Katrina's storm surge flooded the brewery and looters devastated it.
But a century after its founding, the beer is coming back, say Joe and Kendra Bruno,
who've struggled to keep the brewery going since buying it in 1986. Dixie is now
the last major independent brewer in the Deep South but is struggling in it's
comeback as it's having diffiuclty finding shelf space.
Beer Cheaper Than Water - British supermarkets are selling beer at prices
cheaper than water and soft drinks, with cans sold for as little as 50 cents each.
Supermarkets were stocking shelves with beer priced so low they were actually losing
money. Many of the major supermarkets were now selling beer for just 50 pence
($1.15) a litre. The same supermarkets sell mineral water for 56p-92p a litre.
The British health department has commissioned an independent review of alcohol
pricing and promotion and has not ruled out changing regulations. Policy director at
health group Alcohol Concern Don Shenker said thatthe prices could have contributed
to the UK's binge drinking problem.
Seniors Need Beer - Men over 65 years of age having consumed alcohol
during the year before display a higher bone density compared with total abstainers.
Such is the conclusion of an American study involving 6 000 senior male subjects. The
results of a three year study showed a positive link between higher alcohol
consumption and bone density.
| Beer For Vegetarians Moderate consumption of beer and wine has been included in the Traditional Healthy Vegetarian Diet Pyramid as an option. Recently, in Austin, Texas, that the "Conference on Vegetarian Diets" recognized the healthy effects of moderate daily alcohol consumption for individuals not at risk. The magazine 'Vegetarian Times' also reported about this new policy. Vegetarianism is clearly on the rise in the USA, and it was time that the guru's of the movement recognized the healthy effects of a pint of good beer enjoyed with a meal. Estimates believe that about 14 millions Americans consider themselves vegetarians, and many more avoid the consumption of meat on a 'part-time' basis. Today you can find in any city vegetarian restaurants offering an exclusive and delicious menu, together with an extensive list of wine and beer, including real ales and so called 'living' Belgian beers. send contributions for On Tap to webmaster@beernexus.com |
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