Friday, July 23, 2010

Beer in dead animal bottles condemned as 'perverse'

A beer served in bottles made from stuffed animals has been criticised as "perverse" and "pushing the boundaries of acceptability". The End of History, made by BrewDog of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, is 55% and £500 a bottle.

The bottles have been made using seven dead stoats, four squirrels and a hare, said to have died of natural causes. However, Advocates for Animals and Alcohol Focus Scotland both condemned the marketing.



BrewDog claims the beer is the world's strongest and most expensive. Its co-founder James Watt said: "We want to show people there is an alternative to monolithic corporate beers, introduce them to a completely new approach to beer and elevate the status of beer in our culture."



Advocates for Animals policy director Libby Anderson said: "It's pointless and it's very negative to use dead animals when we should be celebrating live animals. "This seems to be a perverse idea.



"It's just bad thinking about animals, people should learn to respect them, rather than using them for some stupid marketing gimmick." She added: "I think the public would not waste £500 on something so gruesome and just ignore it."

Barbara O'Donnell, director of services at Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "This is another example of this company pushing the boundaries of acceptability all in the pursuit of cheap marketing tactics." Controversial BrewDog has previously been criticised for 32% and 41% strength beers.

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