Alcohol levels edged up due to crafty pint

THE average pint of beer has got stronger every year for the past four years, a study has found.

The change is down to the trend for craft beers, which can have up to 2.5 per cent more alcohol.

Strengths are still lower overall than 15 years ago, when brewers began to cut alcohol to reduce tax costs.

The average pint is now 4.21 per cent by volume, down from 4.57 in 2000.

But Dr James Nicholls, of Alcohol Concern, warned: “One in four new beers in 2014 were above 6.5.”

At around 3.5 units a pint, stronger beers use up more of our recommended alcohol units – 1.2 more units than at four per cent.