Rejoice, beer patriots, the Boston Beer Company — maker of Samuel Adams beers — has listened to the people and, beginning in March, will offer their Noble Pils brew in 6-packs year-round.

The popular beer, first released in the spring of 2010 after winning the “Beer Lover’s Choice” in 2009, met with applause from beer nerds nationwide. Combined with Revolutionary Rye, the beer sure brought The Daily Caller back onto the Sam Adams party bus, following a series of disappointing seasonal beers coupled (coincidentally?) with growing distribution.

In an email to enthusiasts, the company wrote, “You asked and we listened. Through many hand-written letters, emails, Facebook posts and discussions at beer festivals, we heard your pleas to offer Noble Pils year round and we are excited to announce your wish is our command.”

Tragically, hop heads will have to wait for 12-packs, and the crew at TheDC will have to wait before the office can put it on tap — right now the only plan is for 6-ers. In an interview with TheDC, however, brewery rep Jessica Paar did not rule those out for future release.

The email described Noble Pils as “a traditional Bohemian Pilsner that is brewed with all five Noble hops (Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz, and Hersbrucker).”

Watchful beer enthusiasts may have already noticed that the Noble Pils was not back on tap this spring, replaced by Sam Adams’ new seasonal pint, Alpine Spring.

In an email to TheDC, Paar wrote that Alpine Spring “is brewed with hops grown in the Alpine foothills and is slightly more balanced in its hop character than Noble Pils, producing a bright flavor and crispness that make it appropriate for spring.”

We could read this as just an interesting historical echo. Or we could read it as an example of how complex the reactions to changes in tax rates can be. The basic story is this:

Lager drinkers are in for a shock after brewing giant AB InBev decided to cut the alcohol volume in Stella Artois, Budweiser and Beck’s, according to The Grocer.

The shake-up of the three top brands should save millions of pounds that will offset duty hikes and cost increases, the trade magazine says.

The world’s largest brewer is cutting the alcohol volume of the popular beers from 5per cent to 4.8per cent.

Now that doesn’t seem like much of a cut in the alcohol that is being delivered within the beers. However, the UK system of beer taxation is that it is taxed per 0.1% of ABV (average by volume).

The precise calculations can be done by combining this example calculation with this beer rate. I make it that the brewer will be making an extra 1.5 pence per 33 cl bottle out of this: for of course, they’re not going to be reducing the price. No, the idea is to reduce the duty being paid while leaving the price constant.

This isn’t the first time a brewer has done this of course. From that beer rate page you can see that the tax is £18.57 (never mind the unit) for beers from 2.8% to 7.5% ABV. There’s a reduced rate of £9.29 for beer in the range 1.2-2.8%.

And there was one beer back in the day (I’ll not name it although the name is widely known) that was brewed to 2.7%. Charged at just the same as other beers of course, despite just squeaking into that much lower duty band. Strangely, when legislation was brought in forcing pubs and brewers to show the strength of beer by ABV that brand disappeared from sale. There was a certain astonishment at this: for of course the brewer didn’t mind being known for selling small beer at full beer prices, surely?

And the historical echo isn’t that tale of brewery shenanigans, no, it’s this well loved song:

I am the man, the very fat man,
That waters the workers’ beer
I am the man, the very fat man,
That waters the workers’ beer
And what do I care if it makes them ill,
If it makes them terribly queer
I’ve a car, a yacht, and an aeroplane,
And I waters the workers’ beer

Which is the farce and which the tragedy in this historical repeat?

Forbes