tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post208935027032937180..comments2019-09-01T17:27:07.621+01:00Comments on Curmudgeon's "Opening Times" Columns: June 2013Curmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post-45825464002165062042013-06-04T15:05:54.702+01:002013-06-04T15:05:54.702+01:00So in effect you are proposing considering the rat...So in effect you are proposing considering the ratio of corn syrup to apple juice as a method of determining tax rate.<br /><br />In effect taxing corn syrup cider more than apple juice cider. Presumably an attempt to hike the price of Frosty Jacks and leave Merrydown Vintage unaffected. Or is it in the hope that Frosty Jacks leave the market or reformulate?<br /><br />Why not just ban corn syrup cider ? Are there other ingredients you want a higher tax rate for? Beer adjuncts?<br /><br />A libertarian would simply ask the law to ensure the label states the ingredients clearly with % apple juice, allowing the punter to object at the lack of apples if they so chose. Real ciders could then state they were made without concentrate.<br /><br />Why are the ingredients of so much booze unclear? That's one of many vested interests to ponder.Cooking Lagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830924433230427226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post-89132998560373175512013-06-04T14:37:11.443+01:002013-06-04T14:37:11.443+01:00No, you're missing the point. The rule is the ...No, you're missing the point. The rule is the amount of apple juice as a proportion of fermentable material. It doesn't stop you then diluting it with water. There are plenty of pure juice ciders that are 5% ABV or less.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post-81691555235247777182013-06-04T13:59:11.456+01:002013-06-04T13:59:11.456+01:00Cidre and Magners are 50% apple juice. Imported co...Cidre and Magners are 50% apple juice. Imported concentrate but so is your breakfast juice. The other 50% is water. At 100% juice they would be 9% alcohol. Same as white German wine. They are 4.5% abv because they are half water. Your Best Bitter is 95% added water.<br /><br />The reason most CAMRA cider buffs are red faced alkies is because they are knocking back 6 pints of something the strength of Reisling or Hock and thinking it is better than that commercial stuff because the apple juice got squeezed out of the apple near the fermenter. Ooo arr.<br /><br />Frosty Jacks & other discount products may be corn syrup based, but are a fraction of the market.<br /><br />For all the regular commercial stuff increasing apple juice increases ABV.<br />Cooking Lagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830924433230427226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post-2828936478696171182013-06-03T18:56:11.281+01:002013-06-03T18:56:11.281+01:00You can make cider any strength you want by wateri...You can make cider any strength you want by watering it down - and I don't think Frosty Jack's is a high juice product.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post-76961277117789011162013-06-03T14:37:45.404+01:002013-06-03T14:37:45.404+01:00Its the alcohol content that costs the NHS money d...Its the alcohol content that costs the NHS money down the line, hence a Pigovian tax to offset this should logically be directly proportional to ABV. The makeup of the rest of the drink is irrelevant really.py0noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542521298906723397.post-30910296748941300052013-06-03T10:08:08.934+01:002013-06-03T10:08:08.934+01:00Your basic problem with altering the % apple juice...Your basic problem with altering the % apple juice is that apple juice = sugar = alcohol.<br /><br />You would be giving a tax break to the higher % alcohol stuff.<br />Cooking Lagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830924433230427226noreply@blogger.com