7 February 2015 Last updated at 16:41 GMT
Brewer Heineken insists the bottled ale is completely safe and is simply "responding to customer concerns".
But drinkers in the English city from which it takes its name are not happy.
Clare Fallon reports.
Fears in the United States over the safety of caramel colouring used for Newcastle Brown Ale has prompted a change of recipe for the iconic beer.