Bengaluru: Beer drinkers in Karnataka may soon find it harder to know what goes into their drink. The state government has proposed changes to excise rules that could remove the requirement to display ingredient details—such as malt and sugar content—on beer labels.
On April 10, the government issued a draft notification to amend the Karnataka Excise (Bottling of Liquor) Rules, 1967, aiming to simplify procedures and improve ease of doing business. Objections to the proposal can be submitted within 10 days.
The amendment suggests removing a clause that currently caps sugar content in beer at 25% of the malt weight and requires brewers to disclose it on labels. This rule applies to beverages like ale, porter, and stout.
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Earlier, the excise department had instructed brewers to clearly mention sugar content on labels, keeping consumer health—especially that of young drinkers—in mind.
However, industry experts argue that removing this rule would leave consumers unaware of whether sugar is used during brewing. They say buyers have a right to know what they are consuming.
The Brewers Association of India has welcomed the proposed change. Its Director General, Vinod Giri, said the earlier rule was impractical since beer does not contain traceable sugar in its final form, and revealing exact malt content would expose confidential recipes. He also noted that such requirements are not part of FSSAI regulations and only add clutter to labels.
The amendment, once officially notified, will come into effect from the date it is published in the gazette.
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