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A British beer, containing 68% alcohol, has been officially named as the world’s strongest.

The aptly named Snake Venom, which costs £50 for a 275ml bottle, states it is 67.5% alcohol by volume (abv) but Trading Standards tests have found it to be 0.5% stronger.

The ABV of most British beers is between four and six per cent.

The mighty tipple, which is stronger than most spirits, was produced by Brewmeister, in the Scottish town of Keith, in a bid to beat rival brewers, such as BrewDog and Schorschbrau.

Managing director Lewis Shand, who runs the company with his old school pal John McKenzie, told the Daily Record: “Snake Venom is not like other beers in that we’d not recommend drinking a bottle in one go.

“It should be savoured in small measures in a similar way to a fine whisky or brandy.

“Unlike previous attempts and world-beating brews, the idea with Snake Venom was to produce something that still tastes like beer and is not masked by a harsh alcohol flavour.”

The beer, which is sold through the company’s website, is so strong that Brewmeister have put a warning label on the bottle.