When Miller Brands announced its Miller Beer was to be pulled out of the UK early this year, citing strong competition among lagers with an ABV around the four per cent mark, it wasn't kidding.
The 4.2 per cent Miller Beer, popular in Scotland and pockets of Wales, had found itself up against a new wave of four per cent lagers. As strong products such as Stella Artois have become unfashionable, lower-ABV beers have found favour.
For some reason, the notion of 'premium' in lager is no longer defined by alcoholic strength, but something that's altogether more difficult to pin down.
Beck's Vier (German for four) started it off - a brand extension with heavy marketing support that became a real calling card for InBev in the on-trade, more so perhaps than the stronger, bottled Beck's parent brand. The brewer is hoping to repeat the trick with Stella 4%.
There are plenty of other beers with a similarly low ABV and stylish appeal from which to choose. Do you go for old favourite Amstel, or Grolsch speciality brand extension Blond? Or, for something a little more unusual, Adnams Spindrift, a top-
fermented, chilled and filtered beer relaunched last year with its strength dropped one percentage point to four per cent?
The deciding factor could be taste. To help you, The Publican put a selection of the four per cent draught products to the test. On the panel were Publican drinks writer Nick Yates, beer writer and marketer Rupert Ponsonby and Grolsch marketing manager Michael Rabiej.
Adnams Spindrift
ABV: 4 per cent
Launched: November 2006 (Relaunch March 2008)
What we thought: Citrus, especially lemon; long hop taste; unsurprisingly a texture that mimics an ale. A very unusual product - perhaps one to stock in addition to a conventional four per cent lager.
Beck's Vier
ABV: 4 per cent
Launched: February 2006
What we thought: Citrus fruit, perhaps even chocolate orange; slightly more full-bodied than Amstel; hoppy first impressions then slightly rasping, bitter finish that fades quickly.
Like Amstel, this is a tasty beer for the first few mouthfuls but is unchallenging enough in its aftertaste to be a good session beer.
Stella 4%
ABV: 4 per cent
Launched: June 2008
What we thought: Caramel and/or chocolate aroma; sweet and easy taste up front with dryness following through; pleasant texture that one taster described as "dusty"; some floral hop. This is one stage on from the "beginner's IPA" of Grolsch. Impressive.
Amstel
ABV: 4.1 per cent
Launched: 2003
What we thought: Mellow fruit, possibly bananas; some sweetcorn and barley husk; sulphury first impression gives way to a bitterness like coffee; very carbonated.
Amstel seems to be brewed with the main aim of being sessionable and refreshing (which it achieves very well), rather than for intense flavours.
Grolsch Blond
ABV: 4 per cent
Launched: January 2008 (following trial in late 2007)
What we thought: Floral and hoppy nose, with some pepper notes; smoother character; robust hoppy character of an India Pale Ale.
This was summarised as a "beginner's IPA", a much less aggressively carbonated beer than Amstel, with similarities to lighter cask ales.