What ,ABV related, regulations are the commercial brews complying with

[yum beer]

.2% ABV short on a 25H/L batch would add up to a decent cash saving for the brewery I would think.

 

[Greg.L]

In the labelling rules they lump cider and perry in with beer, so it has to be within 0.3%, but wine gets 1.5% leeway. Why does wine get such a big margin? Cider and perry have more in common with wine than beer, just because the abv is similar doesn't mean much, my cider is 9% this year.

 

[Beerisyummy]

Actually, they do care if they are over paid, that means that they then owe me money, and they don't like to be in that situation.

Not that it has much to do with the original question, but the Ato has never minded having extra money in my business account. They don't pay interest on it and I have to request a refund.
They take extra money off nearly all the employees in australia as provisional tax and then return it at a later date without interest.

The type of overpaying I was suggesting is not the kind that the ATO would need to reimburse. If the extra tax was cheaper than the cost of manufacturing the high end Abv, it would be a saving for the brewery.

 

[NewtownClown]

No employee pays "provisional tax" in Australia and PAYG replaced provisional tax for business 13 years ago...

The ATO doesn't "take extra money off" employees! Employers deduct the tax and send it to the ATO. If you are paying too much out of you pay packet it is the way the employer is calculating it

 

[beersom]

You are allowed 0.2% leeway
0.3% for bottle conditioned product.
As per a recent update and clarification issued by the ATO you pay excise based on the stated ABV unless the actual ABV exceeds the stated ABV then you pay based on the actual ABV.
A 4.5% beer can be anywhere between 4.3% and 4.7 %
if it is 4.3% you pay based on 4.5%
if it is 4.7% you pay based on 4.7%

Not sure why the grape juicers are allowed such large leeway.

 

[Beerisyummy]

No employee pays "provisional tax" in Australia and PAYG replaced provisional tax for business 13 years ago...

The ATO doesn't "take extra money off" employees! Employers deduct the tax and send it to the ATO. If you are paying too much out of you pay packet it is the way the employer is calculating it

PAYG involves paying a provisional amount of tax. The name may have changed but it still includes a provisional sum based on previous earnings.
Very few employees receive a tax bill each year.

 

[Beerisyummy]

A 4.5% beer can be anywhere between 4.3% and 4.7 %
if it is 4.3% you pay based on 4.5%
if it is 4.7% you pay based on 4.7%

Not sure why the grape juicers are allowed such large leeway.

Did you mean "4.7% pays 4.5%" in that last bit, or does the 0.2% leeway only relate to the labeled Abv?

I'll have another squiz at the Ato website when I get on real computer. Then again I should probably be working on quotes instead.

Edit: Just answered my question.
"16.1. if the actual strength of beer, other than beer subject to secondary fermentation, does not exceed the labelled (or otherwise indicated) strength by more than 0.2 percentage points, the strength is the labelled (or otherwise indicated) strength and the tariff classification applicable to that strength applies."

That would mean that a VB with the "new" 4.9% ABV could be as high as 5.1% before they have to pay more tax. Somehow I doubt the breweries would make that mistake when they have precise control over the finished product. I mean it might taste like **** next to a good beer, but I'm more amazed at the megaswill breweries ability to produce the same product over and over again.

I'm still yet to read anything on the lowest permissible limits of ABV. Nothing to do with the amount of excise tax payable, just a regulation that states a minimum acceptable amount below the advertised ABV.

 

[Beerisyummy]

My apologies. 0.3% is the permissible deviation from advertised ABV.

Edit: Thank Bum for the link.

 

[Dunkelbrau]

The machines they use are pretty damned accurate, I have sent some bottles of my home brew in with the old man and he gives me the print outs back with calories, ABV, colour, turbidity (no IBU :-( ) etc..

Basically my last brew was exactly 5.690 percent by volume, if they can tell that far beyond the decimal, I'm sure whatever it is, they are hitting targets and getting pumped if they vary to far out (my assumptions only, don't quote me).

Regarding my reading, I'd say that mine would be labeled 5.7%, not 5.8 or 5.5 even though .3 may be allowed. Again, just assumptions. At 5.69, they could really say 5.99 and still be within spec?!

Seems ludicrous! maybe that could be a legal loophole for DUI haha

 

[stakka82]

Out of interest, what alc. % did your start and finishing gravities predict for that beer?

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Not sure without checking notes, I'll have a look and see tomorrow.

I'm sending in my next two lagers (currently finishing up ready to keg/bottle I believe).