Lighter beer popular

[NewsWhore]

The local beer companies have turned to light beer as a way of saving money without losing customers, according to an article in today's Listin Diario. Esteban Delgado writes that the move to lighter beers with lower alcoholic content is also designed to attract new clients. As the reporter says, "it's all business." The Dominican National Brewery (CND), the makers of Presidente, Bohemia and other beers, currently dominates the local market with a 90% share. They are facing stiff competition from AmBev's Brahma beer, which has taken a small slice of the market and seems to be gaining, slowly, in the arena. The move to attract new consumers with a smoother and lighter product started fairly recently: just two years ago a consumer would have had to specify their preference for a "light" beer. Now the situation is reversed and normal beer is becoming a second choice. Normal beer contains 5% alcohol and light beer 4.3% alcohol. As alcohol is taxed, if less is used, less money goes to the taxman. A new drink called Exotonic" was recently introduced by CND, containing just 3.9% of alcohol and available in several flavors.

More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)