There will no doubt be some readers out there who like a drink or two, there may even be some who have woken up cursing the activities of the night before, wondering just what exactly it was that left them in such a state.

Well, the obvious answer is too much alcohol but sometimes it is the other ingredients that can cause a headache. Soon, thanks to the European Union, drinkers will be able to discover exactly waht goes into their beer and wine.

The Telegraph reported this week that: “The Government is backing European Union proposals to force drinks companies to reveal hidden chemicals used in beer and wine.

“Commonly used chemicals in cheap beer can include betaglucanase, used to speed up brewing and propylene glycol alginate, added to help maintain a beer's head, even after months on a shelf”.

As the President of the British Beer Club in the European Parliament I applaud this news, which again shows the EU’s commitment to helping consumers make informed choices on products they wish to buy.

It is also a move which should help benefit smaller British brewers whose traditional methods typically include less chemicals than mass-market beers and lagers.

Bottoms up!