A US brewer is set to exploit Britain's mooted 24/7 licensing laws by launching a caffeine-laced beer. Anheuser-Busch's 4.5 per cent "BE" brew boasts a hit of caffeine equivalent to half a cup of coffee, plus ginseng and Brazilian fatigue-busting guarana. It is seen as a rival for non-alcoholic looney juice Red Bull - commonly mixed with vodka by British youths when they want to get plastered and throw a few shapes on the dancefloor simultaneously, UK tabloid The Sun reports.

Naturally, critics of the planned deployment of "fast beer" warn that the concoction will “leave revellers more dehydrated with worse hangovers”. Professor Tom Sanders, of King’s College in London, cautioned: “It will encourage drinkers to believe the effects of alcohol will be lessened by caffeine. That’s very dangerous.”

It is not yet known if BE will have any positive health benefits, such as improved sexual performance or cancer-busting properties. We at El Reg feel that a full field trial is in order. ®

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