The Government’s changes to the way duty is collected from brewers come into force this month.

As from 1 October, beer under 2.8% ABV is subject to less duty, while beer above 7.5% ABV attracts more. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that the saving on beers at the lower level is likely to be around 35 pence per pint, compared to a beer at 4.2%.

However, fans of strong beers such as imperial stouts, barley wines and foreign brews such as Trappist ales point out that the cost of these beers will now soar as the Government claims back the money lost by reducing the duty on weak beers.