It may be a contributory factor but it’s probably not the alcohol itself that’s the real problem. Gout is caused by the formation of uric acid crystals in joints; this results in severe inflammation, leading to a joint that is characteristically red, hot and very painful.

The likelihood of developing gout is, therefore, linked to the blood level of uric acid, which is the metabolic by-product of purine, a constituent of many foods and drinks. While the amount of purine in your diet isn’t the whole gout story, it represents a significant sub-plot. And certain forms of alcohol — notably beer — contain high levels of purine.

This presumably explains why a study of more than 47,000 men revealed a higher incidence of gout in those who had an above-average alcohol intake, but not in those who drank wine rather than beer.

The tendency for beer drinkers to put on weight is another factor, because gout is aggravated by obesity.

But if you want to drink something to reduce your chances of developing gout, your tipple should be skimmed milk: casein and lactalbumin, proteins found in milk, help to lower uric acid levels. So perhaps the best approach, mixing pleasure with pain-free toes, is a glass of milk with a wine chaser.