Excise Department stops sale of Kingfisher beer bottled on July 15 saying unsafe for consumption

Breweries manufacturing beer have to provide samples from every batch. Chemists in the Excise Department run tests to check whether the liquor is safe for consumption. In the batch bottled on July 15, there was some variation in yeast, which may have resulted in formation of sediments. As a result, the company has taken bottles of the batch off the market.

Bengaluru

The Excise Department (Bengaluru Urban district) has issued a notification withholding sale of Kingfisher beer bottled on July 15 after it was found unsafe for consumption. The order, issued on August 2, stated that sediments were formed in the beer bottles bottled on July 15 at a brewery of United Breweries Limited (UBL).

According a senior official in the department, over 11,000 bottles were part of the batch. The chemists have found formation of sediments in Kingfisher Strong and Kingfisher Ultra brands.

The department has directed Karnataka State Beverages Corporation Limited license holders and Retail Vend of Beer (RVB) to immediately stop sale of the two products bottled on July 15 until further order.

S.L. Rajendra Prasad, Additional Commissioner, said an investigation team has also been formed by the department to further analyse samples from the batch. “The UBL has admitted presence of sediment in one brand, and it has requested further analysis in the second brand. The department will arrive at a further decision once analysis is complete,” he said.

Mr. Prasad said that breweries manufacturing beer have to provide samples from every batch. Chemists in the department run tests to check whether the liquor is safe for consumption. In the batch bottled on July 15, there was some variation in yeast, which may have resulted in formation of sediments. As a result, the company has taken bottles of the batch off the market.

Another senior official who is looking into the case said although the beer was botted on July 15, the presence of sediments was detected on July 28. “We are now checking whether bottles from the batch were sold between these days. Now, the sale is frozen, and bottles from the batch will be destroyed by the company.”