Britons not fussed on beer, prefer a wine

Sales of beer in Britain have dropped to the lowest levels since the 1930s, brewers said yesterday, as the country turns increasingly to wine and spirits.

The number of pints per day sold in British pubs peaked in 1979, but has slumped by 22 percent - or seven million pints - since then, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).

The group claims that from 1997 to 2006 beer duties grew by 27 percent, against 16 percent for wine, 11 percent for cider and three percent for spirits - cutting brewers' profits by 78 percent between 2004 and 2006 alone.