At Slaughterhouse Brewery we’re making strides to combat the cost-of-living crisis, utilising the government’s new alcohol duty reforms, to work for both landlords and you, the customer!
HM Revenue and Customs announced their biggest Alcohol Duty reforms in 140 years this summer, and we are working in collaboration with HMRC to support the ambitions of the change, whilst offering incentives for everyone’s potential bottom line.
The new regime has introduced two key adjustments to the duty system:
- New duty rates for lower strength drinks below 3.5% ABV to support product innovation.
- A new relief for draught products to support pubs and other on-trade venues.
To support innovation and responsible drinking, low strength drinks, below 3.5% ABV, will be charged at a new lower rate of duty.
The government hopes that the revamp will encourage product innovation and ensure the Alcohol Duty system works for both businesses and consumers. The legislation will also introduce a new ‘Draught Relief’, which will reduce the duty on qualifying draught products.
Slaughterhouse Brewery have taken this opportunity to rework their popular flagship ale, Saddleback, with the new lower strength beer duty category of 3.4% vol.
Handcrafted, using the best quality British floor malted Maris Otter pale and dark Munich malts, Saddleback begins with an aromatic, sweet, flavourful base, combining with crystal malt, to give a beautiful amber colour with Caramel-toffee flavour notes on the finish.
Applying well-sourced, fresh, British hops, the new Saddleback retains its bittering and aroma, remaining traditional and sustainable.
The goal is to offer a classic, tasty, well-rounded pint at an inflation-busting cost, whilst not harming pubs’ profits. In conjunction with the government’s aims to lower the strength of alcohol intake and still encourage customers to use and support pubs, it is this sort of innovation that has the potential to make a real change, in uncertain times.
We are encouraging participating venues to price the new Saddleback below their regular priced bitter, maintaining healthy profit margins, and impressing punters with an affordable, high quality best bitter.
Establishments taking part will receive a crown topper with each pump-clip, stating that Saddleback is a ‘Duty Busting Bitter’, enabling them to promote their venue as one of the first to bring down the price of a pint.
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:
“British pubs are the beating heart of our communities and as they face rising costs, we’re doing all we can to help them out. Through our Brexit Pubs Guarantee, we’re protecting the price of a pint”.
Alex Ridgway Director of Slaughterhouse Brewery:
“We are looking for a way to boost the pub trade by giving the real ale lovers savings in these difficult times. Working with HMRC’s goals, speaking and listening to our customers’ needs, then creating a high-quality hand-crafted beer with finest ingredients at the right price point”