Beer Price Hike Alert: October Sees Rs 10-20 Increase Per Bottle

In yet another blow to beer lovers, the prices of their favorite bubbly are set to rise starting the first week of October. This will mark the third price revision for beer in the past one-and-a-half years.

In the 2023 budget, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah increased the prices of Indian-made liquor (IML) by 20 percent and beer by 10 percent. Prior to this, the excise duty on both locally produced and imported beer was raised by 10 percent. Now, beer prices are set to rise for the third time in 1.5 years.

The government has approved a proposal by the Excise Department to hike beer prices, which is expected to take effect in October. This follows a recent reduction in prices for premium and semi-premium liquor on August 29.

"When liquor prices were reduced, the government issued a draft notification on increasing beer prices. As per the proposal, the prices will rise by Rs 10 to Rs 20 per bottle. A formal notification is expected soon. It's not good to increase beer prices frequently. The government should encourage beer sales, as it indirectly supports farmers who cultivate barley and wheat," said Karunakar Hegde, secretary of the bar owners' association.

Bar owners predict that the price of Boom Strong beer will rise from Rs 163 to Rs 172-175; Budweiser Magnum from Rs 213 to Rs 230; Budweiser Premium from Rs 200 to Rs 215; Kingfisher Premium from Rs 168 to Rs 180; Kingfisher Storme from Rs 177 to Rs 187; Kingfisher Strong from Rs 168 to Rs 180; Kingfisher Ultra from Rs 199 to Rs 220; Tuborg Strong from Rs 168 to Rs 180; UB Premium from Rs 131 to Rs 143; and UB Strong from Rs 131 to Rs 142 per bottle. Prices for other brands are also expected to rise by Rs 10-20 per bottle.