Despite being the country that most people first call to mind when thinking about beer, Gerrmany is consuming less of the brew than ever—although a statistical quirk is making the trend look even more dire.
According to Germany’s Statistical Office, German beer sales fell by two percent to 6.8 billion litres, which was the lowest level recorded since the revision of the beer tax in 1993, despite hosting extra hordes of thirsty visitors who came for the Euro football tournament last summer.
The quirk that makes the drop seem sharper than it may really be is that non-alcoholic beers, which are not subject to the beer tax, now account for a bit over 10% of sales. A spokesperson for the brewers’ association told German press that “The times when non-alcoholic beverages were purely for motorists are long gone. Today, non-alcoholic beer is a lifestyle drink that convinces with its variety and taste.”
Another factor might be rising prices, pushed by energy costs; brewing involves a lot of energy in heating and cooling large amounts of liquid, and some brewers have begun installing systems to draw heat from waste water and power from rooftop solar.
Another statistic: Germany, despite its reputation, is not the world’s per capita beer drinking champion, either. That title has for years belonged to Czechia, with an average of 128 liters per capita, way ahead of second-place Austria at 107.8 and Romania at 100.3. Germany is number four, followed by Poland, Namibia and Ireland. Among other nations known for beer drinking, Belgium came in a 26, the UK at 23, U.S. at 20 and the Netherlands in 13th place.
Image by Mabel Amber from Pixabay
