Which beers are weaker in Britain?
26 beers on this site are weaker in the United Kingdom than the version sold in their home market. 15 of them are brewed in Britain to a lower strength than the home version; the other 11 are imported, wholly or partly, or have a supply that is not established. The gap is the same either way. The widest gap is shared by Amstel and Grolsch Premium Pilsner, each 1.6 percentage points weaker here than at home (Amstel is 3.4% here against 5.0% at home). A further 50 match their home strength and 1 is stronger here. The rest have no home-market figure on record, so no comparison is possible. If you would rather buy the version that matches its home market, the imports that arrive at full strength are listed here. For every beer by strength, weaker or not, see the strength chart.
The threshold that explains most of it
UK alcohol duty is charged in bands. The step at 3.5% is the one that shapes the supermarket shelf: beer below it is taxed at a materially lower rate per litre of alcohol than beer above it. That is why twelve beers on this site sit at exactly 3.4%, a tenth of a percent under the line, and why several of them were cut to that figure from something higher.
The numbers behind the chart
| UK strength | Beers | Of which sold as foreign and brewed here |
|---|---|---|
| 3.3% | 1 | 1 |
| 3.4% | 12 | 5 |
| 3.5% | 1 | 0 |
| 3.6% | 3 | 0 |
| 3.8% | 3 | 1 |
| 4.0% | 6 | 3 |
| 4.1% | 4 | 0 |
| 4.2% | 4 | 0 |
| 4.3% | 1 | 0 |
| 4.4% | 2 | 1 |
| 4.5% | 13 | 5 |
| 4.6% | 10 | 6 |
| 4.7% | 10 | 1 |
| 4.8% | 15 | 6 |
| 4.9% | 1 | 0 |
| 5.0% | 16 | 6 |
| 5.1% | 1 | 0 |
| 5.2% | 2 | 0 |
| 5.3% | 1 | 0 |
| 5.4% | 2 | 0 |
| 5.5% | 3 | 0 |
| 5.6% | 1 | 0 |
| 5.9% | 1 | 0 |
| 6.0% | 1 | 0 |
The published rates, the arithmetic for a single can and what the brewers have said about it are set out in why so much beer in Britain is exactly 3.4% strong.
The bands themselves are set by HM Revenue and Customs. We record the strengths and the dates; the rates are quoted in the guide with their source.
The gap, beer by beer
Widest gap first. Every figure is the strength recorded on this site for the UK product and for the home market, each with its own source on the beer's page.
| Beer | Sold as | UK | At home | Difference | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amstel | Netherlands | 3.4% | 5.0% | 1.6 percentage points | Verified |
| Grolsch Premium Pilsner | Netherlands | 3.4% | 5.0% | 1.6 percentage points | Verified |
| Rosa Blanca | Spain | 3.4% | 4.8% | 1.4 percentage points | Verified |
| Carlsberg Danish Pilsner | Denmark | 3.4% | 4.6% | 1.2 percentage points | Verified |
| Beck's | Germany | 4.0% | 4.9% | 0.9 percentage points | Verified |
| Kronenbourg 1664 | France | 4.6% | 5.5% | 0.9 percentage points | Verified |
| Bud Light | United States | 3.4% | 4.2% | 0.8 percentage points | Verified |
| Coors Lager | United States | 3.4% | 4.2% | 0.8 percentage points | Verified |
| Estrella Damm | Spain | 4.6% | 5.4% | 0.8 percentage points | Partly verified |
| Estrella Galicia Especial | Spain | 4.7% | 5.5% | 0.8 percentage points | Verified |
| Sol | Mexico | 3.4% | 4.2% | 0.8 percentage points | Partly verified |
| Mahou Cinco Estrellas | Spain | 4.8% | 5.5% | 0.7 percentage points | Verified |
| Michelob Ultra | United States | 3.5% | 4.2% | 0.7 percentage points | Partly verified |
| Leffe Blonde | Belgium | 6.0% | 6.6% | 0.6 percentage points | Partly verified |
| Stella Artois | Belgium | 4.6% | 5.2% | 0.6 percentage points | Verified |
| Budweiser | United States | 4.5% | 5.0% | 0.5 percentage points | Verified |
| Super Bock | Portugal | 4.7% | 5.2% | 0.5 percentage points | Partly verified |
| Cruzcampo Sevilla | Spain | 4.4% | 4.8% | 0.4 percentage points | Verified |
| Kirin Ichiban | Japan | 4.6% | 5.0% | 0.4 percentage points | Verified |
| Mythos | Greece | 4.6% | 5.0% | 0.4 percentage points | Verified |
| San Miguel Especial | Spain | 5.0% | 5.4% | 0.4 percentage points | Verified |
| Birrificio Angelo Poretti 4 Luppoli | Italy | 4.8% | 5.0% | 0.2 percentage points | Verified |
| Singha | Thailand | 4.8% | 5.0% | 0.2 percentage points | Verified |
| Tiger | Singapore | 4.8% | 5.0% | 0.2 percentage points | Verified |
| Tyskie Gronie | Poland | 5.0% | 5.2% | 0.2 percentage points | Verified |
| Guinness Draught | Ireland | 4.1% | 4.2% | 0.1 percentage points | Verified |
The same strength as at home
| Beer | Sold as | UK | At home | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alhambra Reserva 1925 | Spain | 6.4% | 6.4% | Verified |
| Asahi Super Dry | Japan | 5.0% | 5.0% | Verified |
| Asahi Super Dry 0.0 | Japan | 0.0% | 0.0% | Verified |
| Beck's Blue | Germany | 0.05% | 0.05% | Verified |
| Birra Menabrea Bionda | Italy | 4.8% | 4.8% | Partly verified |
| Birra Moretti L'Autentica | Italy | 4.6% | 4.6% | Verified |
| Bitburger Premium Pils | Germany | 4.8% | 4.8% | Verified |
| Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager | United States | 5.2% | 5.2% | Partly verified |
| Budweiser Budvar Original | Czech Republic | 5.0% | 5.0% | Verified |
| Chang Classic | Thailand | 5.0% | 5.0% | Verified |
| Chimay Blue | Belgium | 9.0% | 9.0% | Verified |
| Coopers Original Pale Ale | Australia | 4.5% | 4.5% | Verified |
| Corona Extra | Mexico | 4.5% | 4.5% | Verified |
| Corona Cero | Mexico | 0.0% | 0.0% | Verified |
| Damm Daura | Spain | 5.4% | 5.4% | Verified |
| Desperados | Mexico | 5.9% | 5.9% | Partly verified |
| Duvel | Belgium | 8.5% | 8.5% | Verified |
| Erdinger Weissbier | Germany | 5.3% | 5.3% | Verified |
| Estrella Damm Inedit | Spain | 4.8% | 4.8% | Verified |
| Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier | Germany | 5.0% | 5.0% | Verified |
| Guinness 0.0 | Ireland | 0.0% | 0.0% | Verified |
| Guinness Extra Stout | Ireland | 4.2% | 4.2% | Verified |
| Guinness Foreign Extra Stout | Ireland | 7.5% | 7.5% | Verified |
| Heineken Original 5% | Netherlands | 5.0% | 5.0% | Verified |
| Heineken 0.0 | Netherlands | 0.0% | 0.0% | Verified |
| Heineken Silver | Netherlands | 4.0% | 4.0% | Verified |
| Hoegaarden | Belgium | 4.9% | 4.9% | Verified |
| Birra Ichnusa | Italy | 4.7% | 4.7% | Partly verified |
| Krombacher Pils | Germany | 4.8% | 4.8% | Verified |
| Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc | France | 5.0% | 5.0% | Verified |
| La Chouffe Blonde | Belgium | 8.0% | 8.0% | Verified |
| Miller Genuine Draft | United States | 4.7% | 4.7% | Partly verified |
| Murphy's Irish Stout | Ireland | 4.0% | 4.0% | Verified |
| Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrub | Germany | 5.5% | 5.5% | Verified |
| Peroni Nastro Azzurro | Italy | 5.1% | 5.1% | Verified |
| Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0 | Italy | 0.0% | 0.0% | Verified |
| Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri | Italy | 4.2% | 4.2% | Partly verified |
| Pilsner Urquell | Czech Republic | 4.4% | 4.4% | Verified |
| Red Stripe | Jamaica | 4.7% | 4.7% | Verified |
| Sagres | Portugal | 5.0% | 5.0% | Partly verified |
| San Miguel 0.0 | Spain | 0.05% | 0.05% | Verified |
| Sapporo Premium Beer | Japan | 5.0% | 5.0% | Partly verified |
| Smithwick's | Ireland | 3.8% | 3.8% | Verified |
| Spaten Munchner Hell | Germany | 5.2% | 5.2% | Verified |
| Staropramen Premium Czech Lager | Czech Republic | 5.0% | 5.0% | Partly verified |
| Stella Artois 0.0 | Belgium | 0.0% | 0.0% | Verified |
| Tuborg Green | Denmark | 4.6% | 4.6% | Partly verified |
| Warsteiner Premium Verum | Germany | 4.8% | 4.8% | Verified |
| Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier | Germany | 5.4% | 5.4% | Verified |
| Zywiec Premium | Poland | 5.5% | 5.5% | Verified |