PretendPint

Which beers sold as foreign are brewed in Britain, and what to buy instead

Work in progress. We are still reading cans and settling where listings disagree. Seen a beer whose small print contradicts its label? Tell us.

Beer strength chart: every beer on the shelf, by ABV

123 beers sold in British supermarkets have a UK strength on record, listed here strongest first. The strongest is Duvel at 8.5%; the weakest with alcohol in it is Skol at 2.8%. Twelve sit at exactly 3.4%, a tenth of a point under the 3.5% duty step. Where a beer is imported and the version sold at home is a different strength, the difference is shown.

The strongest lagers on the list are Carlsberg Special Brew at 7.5%, Alhambra Reserva 1925 at 6.4%, Desperados at 5.9%, Zywiec Premium at 5.5% and Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager at 5.2%. 25 of the imports on this page are brewed weaker for Britain than for their home market; the strength gap page lists them by the size of the cut, and the duty guide explains the 3.4% cluster.

Where the numbers come from. The UK strength is read from the pack or from a retailer listing that transcribes it; each beer's page carries the source and the date. The home-market strength comes only from a source addressed to that market, so where none has been read the column says so rather than repeating the UK figure.

Strongest to weakest 112

Beer Sold asBrewed for the UK inUKAt homeDifference
Duvel BelgiumImported8.5%8.5%0.0 percentage points
La Chouffe Blonde BelgiumImported8.0%8.0%0.0 percentage points
Carlsberg Special Brew DenmarkNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)7.5%Not establishedNot established
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout IrelandImported7.5%7.5%0.0 percentage points
Alhambra Reserva 1925 SpainImported6.4%6.4%0.0 percentage points
Leffe Blonde BelgiumAB InBev UK Limited sites (Magor and/or Samlesbury), not named on pack; inferred6.0%6.6%0.6 percentage points
Desperados MexicoMixed supply5.9%5.9%0.0 percentage points
Theakston Old Peculier EnglandMasham, North Yorkshire5.6%Not establishedNot established
Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrub GermanyImported5.5%5.5%0.0 percentage points
St Austell Proper Job EnglandSt Austell, Cornwall5.5%Not establishedNot established
Zywiec Premium PolandImported5.5%5.5%0.0 percentage points
Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier GermanyImported5.4%5.4%0.0 percentage points
Erdinger Weissbier GermanyImported5.3%5.3%0.0 percentage points
Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager United StatesNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)5.2%5.2%0.0 percentage points
Spaten Munchner Hell GermanyImported5.2%5.2%0.0 percentage points
Peroni Nastro Azzurro ItalyImported5.1%5.1%0.0 percentage points
Asahi Super Dry JapanImported5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Bavaria Premium GermanyNot established5.0%Not establishedNot established
Budweiser Budvar Original Czech RepublicImported5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Chang Classic ThailandImported5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier GermanyImported5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Greene King Abbot Ale EnglandWestgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk5.0%Not establishedNot established
Heineken Original 5% NetherlandsManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Holsten Pils GermanyNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)5.0%4.8%0.2 percentage points
Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc FranceWolverhampton, West Midlands5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Sagres PortugalImported5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
San Miguel Especial SpainMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales5.0%5.4%0.4 percentage points
Sapporo Premium Beer JapanImported5.0%Not establishedNot established
Staropramen Premium Czech Lager Czech RepublicBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Brewery)5.0%5.0%0.0 percentage points
Stella Artois Unfiltered BelgiumMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales5.0%Not establishedNot established
Tyskie Gronie PolandImported5.0%5.2%0.2 percentage points
Hoegaarden BelgiumImported4.9%4.9%0.0 percentage points
Birra Menabrea Bionda ItalyImported4.8%4.8%0.0 percentage points
Birra Moretti Sale di Mare ItalyManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)4.8%Not establishedNot established
Birrificio Angelo Poretti 4 Luppoli ItalyNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)4.8%4.8%0.0 percentage points
Bitburger Premium Pils GermanyImported4.8%4.8%0.0 percentage points
Carlsberg Expørt DenmarkNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)4.8%Not establishedNot established
Estrella Damm Inedit SpainImported4.8%4.8%0.0 percentage points
Korev United KingdomSt Austell, Cornwall4.8%Not establishedNot established
Krombacher Pils GermanyImported4.8%4.8%0.0 percentage points
Lucky Buddha ChinaMixed supply4.8%Not establishedNot established
Mahou Cinco Estrellas SpainAB InBev UK Limited sites (Magor and/or Samlesbury), not individually named on pack4.8%5.5%0.7 percentage points
Singha ThailandFaversham, Kent (Shepherd Neame)4.8%5.0%0.2 percentage points
Tiger SingaporeBrewed in Britain4.8%5.0%0.2 percentage points
Warsteiner Premium Verum GermanyImported4.8%4.8%0.0 percentage points
Birra Ichnusa ItalyImported4.7%4.7%0.0 percentage points
Carling Black Label Premium Lager United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Brewery)4.7%Not establishedNot established
Estrella Galicia Especial SpainImported4.7%5.5%0.8 percentage points
Fuller's London Pride United KingdomGriffin Brewery, Chiswick, London4.7%Not establishedNot established
Newcastle Brown Ale United KingdomTadcaster, North Yorkshire (John Smith's Brewery)4.7%Not establishedNot established
Red Stripe JamaicaManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)4.7%4.7%0.0 percentage points
Tsingtao Premium Lager ChinaImported4.7%Not establishedNot established
Birra Moretti L'Autentica ItalyManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)4.6%4.6%0.0 percentage points
Estrella Damm SpainImported4.6%5.4%0.8 percentage points
Kirin Ichiban JapanBedford, Bedfordshire (Eagle Brewery, owned by S.A. Damm since 2023)4.6%5.0%0.4 percentage points
Kronenbourg 1664 FranceWolverhampton, West Midlands4.6%5.5%0.9 percentage points
Madrí Excepcional SpainTadcaster, North Yorkshire (Tower Brewery)4.6%Not establishedNot established
Maltsmiths IPA and Pilsner United KingdomDunbar, East Lothian (Belhaven Brewery)4.6%Not establishedNot established
Mythos GreeceNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)4.6%5.0%0.4 percentage points
Stella Artois BelgiumMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales4.6%5.2%0.6 percentage points
Tuborg Green DenmarkNot established4.6%4.6%0.0 percentage points
Budweiser United StatesMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales4.5%5.0%0.5 percentage points
Cobra Premium IndiaBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Brewery)4.5%Not establishedNot established
Corona Extra MexicoMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales4.5%4.5%0.0 percentage points
Fuller's Frontier United KingdomGriffin Brewery, Chiswick, London4.5%Not establishedNot established
Hobgoblin Ruby United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery)4.5%Not establishedNot established
Kingfisher Premium Lager IndiaHartlepool, County Durham4.5%Not establishedNot established
M&S Spanish Lager SpainImported4.5%Not establishedNot established
Marston's Pedigree United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery, established 1834)4.5%Not establishedNot established
Miller Genuine Draft United StatesNot established4.5%4.7%0.2 percentage points
Modelo Especial MexicoMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales4.5%Not establishedNot established
Perlenbacher Pilsner Lager GermanyNot established4.5%Not establishedNot established
Sharp's Atlantic Pale Ale United KingdomTadcaster, North Yorkshire (bottles, per Tesco label copy)4.5%Not establishedNot established
Shipyard American Pale Ale United StatesBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery)4.5%Not establishedNot established
Cruzcampo Sevilla SpainManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)4.4%4.8%0.4 percentage points
Pilsner Urquell Czech RepublicImported4.4%4.4%0.0 percentage points
Sharp's Doom Bar Amber Ale United KingdomRock, Cornwall (Sharp's Brewery; cask, closing by end of 2026)4.3%Not establishedNot established
Guinness Extra Stout IrelandImported4.2%4.2%0.0 percentage points
Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri ItalyImported4.2%4.2%0.0 percentage points
Shepherd Neame Spitfire EnglandFaversham, Kent4.2%Not establishedNot established
St Austell Tribute EnglandSt Austell, Cornwall4.2%Not establishedNot established
Adnams Ghost Ship EnglandSole Bay Brewery, Southwold, Suffolk4.1%Not establishedNot established
Guinness Draught IrelandRuncorn, Cheshire (packaging only)4.1%4.2%0.1 percentage points
Timothy Taylor's Landlord EnglandKnowle Spring Brewery, Keighley, West Yorkshire4.1%Not establishedNot established
Wainwright Gold United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery)4.1%Not establishedNot established
Beck's GermanyMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales4.0%4.9%0.9 percentage points
Carling Original Lager United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Brewery)4.0%Not establishedNot established
Heineken Silver NetherlandsImported4.0%4.0%0.0 percentage points
Murphy's Irish Stout IrelandBrewed in Britain4.0%4.0%0.0 percentage points
Pravha Czech RepublicBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Brewery)4.0%Not establishedNot established
Tennent's Lager ScotlandWellpark Brewery, 161 Duke Street, Glasgow4.0%Not establishedNot established
Black Sheep Best Bitter EnglandMasham, North Yorkshire3.8%Not establishedNot established
Caffrey's Irish Ale IrelandTadcaster, North Yorkshire (Tower Brewery)3.8%Not establishedNot established
Smithwick's IrelandImported3.8%3.8%0.0 percentage points
John Smith's Extra Smooth United KingdomTadcaster, North Yorkshire (John Smith's Brewery)3.6%Not establishedNot established
Tetley's Smooth Flow United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery)3.6%Not establishedNot established
Worthington's Creamflow United KingdomTadcaster, North Yorkshire (Tower Brewery)3.6%Not establishedNot established
Michelob Ultra United StatesNot established3.5%4.2%0.7 percentage points
Amstel NetherlandsManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)3.4%5.0%1.6 percentage points
Banks's Amber Bitter United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery)3.4%Not establishedNot established
Bass United KingdomBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Marston's Brewery)3.4%Not establishedNot established
Boddingtons Draught Bitter United KingdomSamlesbury, Lancashire3.4%Not establishedNot established
Bud Light United StatesMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales3.4%4.2%0.8 percentage points
Carlsberg Danish Pilsner DenmarkNorthampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)3.4%4.6%1.2 percentage points
Coors Lager United StatesBurton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Brewery)3.4%4.2%0.8 percentage points
Foster's AustraliaManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)3.4%Not establishedNot established
Greene King IPA EnglandWestgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk3.4%Not establishedNot established
Grolsch Premium Pilsner NetherlandsImported3.4%5.0%1.6 percentage points
Rosa Blanca SpainImported3.4%4.8%1.4 percentage points
Sol MexicoBrewed in Britain3.4%4.2%0.8 percentage points
Cruzcampo Sevilla Orange SpainManchester (Royal Brewery, Hulme/Moss Side)3.3%Not establishedNot established
Skol Scandinavia (implied)Northampton, Northamptonshire (Carlsberg Brewery)2.8%Not establishedNot established

Alcohol-free and low alcohol 11

At or below 0.5%. Two decimals are kept where the pack prints them.

Beer Sold asBrewed for the UK inUKAt home
Beck's Blue GermanyImported0.05%0.05%
Birra Moretti Zero ItalyImported0.05%Not established
San Miguel 0.0 SpainImported0.05%0.05%
Asahi Super Dry 0.0 JapanImported0.0%0.0%
Cobra Zero IndiaImported0.0%Not established
Corona Cero MexicoMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales0.0%0.0%
Guinness 0.0 IrelandRuncorn, Cheshire (packaging only)0.0%0.0%
Heineken 0.0 NetherlandsImported0.0%0.0%
Madrí Excepcional 0.0% SpainTadcaster, North Yorkshire (Tower Brewery)0.0%Not established
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0 ItalyImported0.0%0.0%
Stella Artois 0.0 BelgiumMagor, Monmouthshire, South Wales0.0%0.0%

Strength not yet on record 22

Affligem Blond, Birra Mapelli Italia Premium Lager, Birra Messina Cristalli di Sale, Brahma, Chimay Blue, Coopers Original Pale Ale, Damm Daura, Damm Voll-Damm, Efes Pilsener, Grande, Grimbergen Blonde, Harp Lager, Kozel Lezak, Lech Premium, Lowenbrau Original, Rheinbacher Pilsner, Ringwood Best Bitter, Rockshore Irish Lager, Rossini Gran Riserva Birra, San Marcos, Sharp's Offshore Pilsner, Super Bock. No listing or pack read so far shows the figure; the page for each says what would settle it.

Which beers are weaker in Britain · Every beer, filterable · What to buy instead