U.K. Regulator Bars BrewDog’s £19.95 Bottomless Beer Ads

The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority has ordered BrewDog not to run two Facebook ads again after finding that the promotions for “bottomless” beer encouraged excessive drinking and, in one case, suggested alcohol could affect a person’s mood.

The ruling applies to Tilray Brands UK Ltd, trading as BrewDog, and centers on two paid social media posts seen in July 2026 promoting 90 minutes of unlimited beer in England for £19.95.

In the first ad, the text said, “BOTTOMLESS BEER ALERT! Celebrate with 90 minutes of unlimited fresh beer for just £19.95 in England this weekend! Who’s in?” The video showed two men drinking a beer each under the caption, “When bottomless beers start to hit you,” followed by a rapid sequence of 12 more alcoholic drinks on screen.

The second ad used the same promotional text. Its video showed a woman labeled “you” running toward a glass of beer, with text above the drink that said, “Unlimited beers for 90 mins under £20.”

The ASA investigated two questions. It examined whether the first ad implied that alcohol had therapeutic qualities or could change mood, and whether both ads were socially irresponsible because they implied, approved of or encouraged excessive alcohol consumption. The regulator upheld both complaints.

Under the U.K.’s CAP Code, alcohol marketing must not suggest that alcohol can change mood, behavior or physical condition, and it must not encourage unsafe or excessive drinking. The ASA said consumers were likely to read the phrase “start to hit you” as a reference to the intoxicating effects of alcohol beginning to be felt.

The regulator also pointed to the way the first video was presented. It said the two men appeared neutral before drinking and then looked more satisfied afterward. In that context, the ASA found that the ad suggested alcohol could alter a person’s mood or condition, which breached rule 18.7 of the CAP Code.

On the question of excessive drinking, the authority said both ads framed the offer in a way that would likely lead consumers to think they could drink as much as they wanted within a fixed 90-minute window. In the first ad, the rapid display of 12 additional drinks came immediately after the men were shown drinking. BrewDog said that sequence was meant to show the range of beer styles included in the promotion, but the ASA said that was not clear from the ad itself. Given the repeated use of terms such as “bottomless” and “unlimited,” the regulator said viewers were more likely to interpret the sequence as showing the amount of alcohol that could be consumed during the offer.

The ASA reached a similar conclusion on the second ad. It said the image of a smiling woman running toward the beer, combined with the limited-time nature of the promotion, conveyed eagerness to start drinking quickly in order to get maximum value from the 90-minute period. The slow-motion effect and dramatic soundtrack reinforced that impression, according to the ruling.

For those reasons, the regulator said both ads presented excessive alcohol consumption as a desirable way to use the promotion. It found that they were socially irresponsible, suggested unwise drinking styles and breached CAP Code rules 18.1 and 18.10.

BrewDog disputed the findings. The company said the line “When bottomless beers start to hit you” was intended as a humorous social media reference tied to the promotion, not as a claim that alcohol would improve confidence, well-being, social success or mental or physical ability.

It also argued that the words “bottomless,” “unlimited” and “90 minutes” simply described a fixed-price hospitality offer and did not tell consumers to drink heavily. On the first ad, the company said the sequence of beers was meant to show variety, not quantity. On the second, it said the woman running toward the pint was a joke about enthusiasm for the deal, not a message encouraging excessive drinking. BrewDog added that the ad did not show intoxication, rapid drinking or behavior linked to overconsumption.

Even so, the company told the ASA that it had reviewed its internal processes. According to the ruling, BrewDog plans to tighten its review procedures, involve its legal team before alcohol ads are published, review live alcohol-related advertising, provide more CAP Code guidance and training, update guidance for local marketing teams and increase oversight of local social media activity.

The ASA’s action requires that the two ads not appear again in the form investigated. It also told the company to make sure future alcohol advertising is socially responsible, does not encourage excessive consumption and does not portray alcohol as capable of changing mood, physical condition or behavior.

The decision is likely to draw attention across the drinks industry because it shows how closely regulators are reviewing price-led and time-limited alcohol promotions, especially when ads use words like “unlimited” or pair them with imagery that can be read as urging people to drink quickly or heavily. For beer, wine and spirits marketers, the ruling may increase pressure to review campaigns against the CAP Code before launch, particularly where promotional language could be seen as encouraging overconsumption or implying that alcohol delivers an emotional or restorative effect.