Beer Statistics 2026: Consumption, Prices, Strength and the Economics of Beer

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic drink on the planet, and the numbers behind it tell a story that keeps surprising people. This page pulls together the most reliable beer statistics for 2026, split into plain-English categories: how much the world drinks, what it costs, how strong it gets, and how much money moves through the industry. Every figure is sourced and year-stamped, with a numbered reference list at the bottom so you can check the primary data yourself.

1. How much beer does the world drink?

The world drank roughly 194.1 billion litres of beer in 2024, about 0.5% more than the year before, according to the annual Kirin Beer Consumption Report[1]. That is around 306 billion large bottles, and it hides two very different questions: which country drinks the most beer overall, and which drinks the most per person. The answers are not the same place.

Which country drinks the most beer overall?

By sheer volume, China has been number one for 22 straight years, drinking about 40.5 billion litres in 2024, roughly a fifth of the world total, even though its own consumption slipped 3.7% on the year[2]. The United States is a clear second at 22.3 billion litres, also edging lower.

Total beer consumption by country, 2024, billions of litres. Source: Kirin Holdings via Visual Capitalist.

Czechia leads the per capita table by a wide margin, a position it has held every year since 1993. See the full country-by-country breakdown in the per capita section below.

How much beer does the average American drink, and which states drink the most?

Americans drink roughly 26 gallons of beer per adult a year. Measured as pure alcohol from beer, the heaviest-drinking state is New Hampshire, but that number is inflated: the state has no sales tax, so shoppers from neighbouring states cross the border to stock up[11]. Strip that quirk out and Montana and Vermont are the genuine leaders.

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Per capita ethanol from beer, adults 21+, 2024. New Hampshire is inflated by tax-free cross-border sales.

How many people drink beer worldwide?

There is no clean global head count, but the share data is telling. Beer and its ready-to-drink cousins now make up more than half of all alcohol servings worldwide, and beer alone has grown from about 44% of servings in 2019 to 47% in 2025[26]. In a 2026 AB InBev and Ipsos survey, 73% of legal-age drinkers said they choose beer, which keeps it comfortably the world’s most popular alcoholic drink.

2. What country drinks the most beer per capita?

Per head, it is a completely different league table. Czechia has topped it every single year since 1993, and in 2024 the average Czech drank 148.8 litres, the equivalent of roughly 450 half-litre glasses[1][2]. Germany, long associated with beer, does not even make this top five.

Per capita beer consumption, 2024, litres per person. Source: Kirin Holdings via Visual Capitalist.

The 2024 Kirin Beer Consumption Report confirms the top five held steady from the previous year: Czechia, Lithuania, Austria, Ireland and Croatia kept their exact rankings, with no changes at the top for the first time in several years[1][2]. Further down the top ten, Germany slipped from 8th to 10th while Slovenia moved up from 10th to 8th, the only real shuffle in an otherwise settled table.

Czechia’s number one spot is not a blip. The country has finished top of the world in per capita beer consumption every year since 1993, a run of 32 consecutive years, built on a culture where pub beer is often cheaper than bottled water and breweries like Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser Budvar are treated as national institutions rather than export brands. That is a very different story from the overall volume table, where China drinks the most beer in total but ranks nowhere near the per capita top ten, because its population is so much larger than its per-drinker consumption.

3. Which beer markets are growing, and which are shrinking?

A flat global headline hides a big split. Traditional beer nations are drifting down while a handful of younger, warmer markets are booming. In 2024 the growth came almost entirely from India, Russia and Thailand[1][3].

Year on year change in beer consumption, 2024, selected markets. Source: Kirin Holdings.

India is the standout. Its beer market grew 14.6% in a single year, the fastest of any major market on Earth, driven by a young population, rising incomes and low per capita consumption of only about two litres a head[1]. That combination, plus a huge base still to convert, is why brewers now treat India and Africa as their long-term growth engines.

Smaller markets are showing the same pattern. Georgia set a national record in 2025, drinking 141 million liters of beer, up roughly 30% from 108.8 million liters in 2020, with per capita consumption up 21% over five years to about 44-45 liters, putting it in the same range as Greece and Belarus[35]. Imported beer’s share of Georgia’s market nearly tripled over that period, from 5% to 16%, even as domestic production fell for a second straight year, a sign that rising incomes and a growing HoReCa sector, not just a bigger population, are what’s driving new consumption in these markets. We break down what that means for the “is beer declining” debate in our full write-up on Georgia’s 2025 beer boom.

The bigger EU picture cuts the other way. Eurostat confirmed the bloc produced 34.4 billion liters of beer in 2025, a 0.7% dip from 2024 even though it is still 2.2% above 2020 levels, with 32.3 billion liters of that above 0.5% ABV and 2.1 billion liters low- or non-alcoholic[41]. Germany still runs away with that ranking: it produced 7.4 billion liters in 2025, more than one-fifth (21.6%) of everything the EU made, ahead of Spain’s 5.3 billion liters (15.5%) and Poland’s 3.5 billion liters (10.2%). The Netherlands and France round out the top five with 2.4 billion and 2.1 billion liters, and together those five countries account for just over 60% of total EU production[44]. Bulgaria is a useful mid-table example of how that plays out locally: the country produced 442 million liters in 2025 (about 1.3% of all EU beer) and held its long-running rank as the EU’s 13th-largest producer and consumer, with residents drinking around 76 liters a head a year and more than half of Bulgarians drinking beer weekly[42]. It is not a growth story, more a reminder that the EU’s overall softness is an average masking very different national pictures underneath it.

New Zealand shows a similar split between an overall decline and beer holding its ground within it. Stats NZ data for the year to June 2026 put per capita alcohol consumption at 6.98 liters of pure alcohol, the lowest level since records began and down roughly a third since 2011, driven by younger drinkers shifting to alcohol-free alternatives and excise increases outpacing inflation. Despite that, beer kept a 59.7% share of all alcohol available for consumption, barely moved from 59.8% in 2020, and remains New Zealand’s clear favorite adult beverage even as the overall market it sits in keeps shrinking[43].

How much has non-alcoholic beer grown?

The clearest growth story anywhere is the one with no alcohol in it. In 2024, non-alcoholic beer volume rose about 9% worldwide, while overall beverage alcohol volume fell roughly 1%[6]. That gap is not a blip. The IWSR forecasts no-alcohol beer will grow around 8% a year through 2029, and expects it to overtake ale as the second-largest beer category by volume worldwide, behind only lager. In the United States the shift is even faster, with non-alcoholic beer volume up 23% in a single year[6].

How old is beer, and what is the oldest brewery in the world?

Beer is one of humanity’s oldest drinks, with chemical evidence of brewing going back over 9,000 years. The oldest brewery still operating is Weihenstephan in Bavaria, which got its licence to brew in 1040, nearly a thousand years ago, and still makes beer on the same hill today[32]. That is older than the Tower of London.

Are fitness and protein beers actually a thing?

They are a small but fast-growing thing. The global protein beer market was worth about $107 million in 2025 and is forecast to more than double to roughly $256 million by 2034, a compound growth rate near 10% a year[33]. It rides the same wellness wave as non-alcoholic beer: lower carbs, added protein and post-workout positioning aimed at drinkers who want the ritual without the guilt.

4. How much does a beer cost?

Beer pricing is wild once you leave your local. The same drink can cost fifteen times more in one capital than another, and even at home the long-run trend is not what most drinkers assume.

How much does a pint of beer cost around the world?

A survey of 128 countries found pints ranging from about $1.30 in Bangui, Central African Republic, to $21.45 in Doha, Qatar, where heavy alcohol taxes and licence costs do the damage[14][15]. The global average sits near $3.50 a pint. The table below is sortable, so you can rank it high to low or by region.

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Representative pint prices, 2024-2025, US dollars, from cost-of-living data (Finder, Metro, Numbeo, Expatistan). City-level where noted.

How has the price of a pint changed over time?

In pubs, the direction is only ever up. In Britain the average pint was about GBP 4.03 in 2022; by 2025 official figures had it topping GBP 5.00, and a pint of Guinness climbed even faster[16]. Ireland runs higher still, with the average pint of stout hitting roughly EUR 6.08 in late 2025, up 18% in three years[17].

Average UK pub prices by year, GBP. Sources: ONS, Morning Advertiser, OANDA Guinness Index.

What is the average and median price of a pint, and how much is a Guinness?

Average and median matter here because a few very expensive pubs drag the mean upward. In Ireland, community price trackers put the average pint of Guinness at about EUR 6.35 while the median sits a touch lower at EUR 6.30, which tells you prices are packed just above six euro rather than spread evenly[18]. In UK pubs, a pint of Guinness averaged around GBP 5.56 in 2025[16]. In the United States, the average bar pint rose from about $6.05 in early 2021 to $6.85 by the end of 2023[25].

What is the most expensive beer in the world?

At the top end, beer stops being a drink and becomes a collector’s item. BrewDog’s The End of History, a 55% ABV blond ale bottled inside taxidermied animals, was released in just 12 units and has changed hands for up to $20,000 a bottle[22]. Australia’s Antarctic Nail Ale, brewed with melted Antarctic ice for charity, has sold for $800 to $1,800 a bottle. For an everyday splurge, a rare vintage barrel-aged stout is a lot more sane.

How does beer tax in the US compare to Europe, and what do 2026’s new tariffs change?

Ordinary excise tax is a big part of why beer costs so differently around the world. The EU sets a minimum beer excise, but Finland, Ireland and the UK charge dramatically more than that floor, while the US and Germany sit near the low end.

Approximate excise tax per 330ml bottle at 5% ABV, EU figures from Tax Foundation 2025 data, US figure converted from the federal rate. VAT/sales tax is separate and not included.[37][38]

Ireland is the sharpest example within Europe: Irish drinkers pay 11 times more beer excise than German drinkers, 55 cents a pint versus 5 cents, even though Irish alcohol consumption has fallen to average EU levels[39]. That is separate from a new and different pressure hitting the US specifically in 2026: a 50% tariff on Canadian-origin alcohol and continuing 50% tariffs on the aluminum used in beer cans, layered on top of ordinary excise rather than replacing it. Small breweries reliant on Canadian aluminum are absorbing the cost rather than raising prices, since the market has little room left for higher beer prices[40]. We cover what that means for prices and for the industry’s ongoing volume decline in our full tariffs breakdown.

5. How strong is beer, and how many does it take to get drunk?

What beer has the highest alcohol content?

Most beer sits between 4% and 6% ABV, but the record holders are in another world. The current title of world’s strongest beer belongs to Scottish Beithir Fire at 75% ABV, made by 88 Brewery in Edinburgh by brewing a high-ABV barley ale for around two months, then blending it with Scottish spirit and filtering it three times. It is sold with a warning label and a recommended serving of just 35ml at a time.[21] Before Beithir Fire took the record, Scotland’s Brewmeister held it with Snake Venom at 67.5% ABV, stronger than most vodka, which itself beat the brewery’s own 65% Armageddon. Both are freeze-distilled novelties, not session beers, and sit well outside anything you would order at a bar.

How many beers does it take to get drunk?

There is no single answer, because it depends on body weight, food, sex and the beer’s strength, but the science gives a clear framework. One standard drink is defined as about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is one 12oz beer at 5% ABV[12]. Your liver can only clear roughly one standard drink per hour[13]. The catch most people miss: a 10% ABV craft beer counts as two standard drinks, not one, so a strong beer gets you there twice as fast. In the United States, driving becomes illegal at 0.08% blood alcohol, which many adults reach after three to four regular beers in a couple of hours.

How long does beer last before it goes bad?

Beer does not usually become unsafe, it just goes flat, stale and cardboard-like as oxygen and light break it down. Hoppy styles fade fastest because hop aroma is fragile; dark and strong beers can actually improve for years[23]. Store it cold, upright and out of the light.

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Typical unopened shelf life by style. Sources: Food & Wine, VinePair, homebrew guidance.

What are the different types of beer glasses, and what is the science behind them?

Glass shape is not just tradition. A peer-reviewed study found that changing the glass alone shifted the perceived intensity of a beer by about 6% and its fruitiness by about 13%[24]. The mechanics are simple once you see them:

• Tulip and goblet glasses widen then curve inward, trapping and concentrating aroma at the top. That is why they suit aromatic Belgians and sours.
• Tall weizen and pilsner glasses show off colour and carbonation and support a thick head, which itself acts as a lid holding aromas beneath it.
• Nucleated bases, the tiny etched marks at the bottom of many pub glasses, release a steady stream of bubbles that keeps the head alive and the aroma coming.
• The nonic pint, with its bulge near the top, is built for grip, stacking and durability more than aroma, which is why it rules British pubs.

Curious why beers look so different in the glass? Our beer colour and SRM scale guide explains the full colour scale, what gives beer its colour, and why a dark beer is not the same as a strong one. And if a big night ever catches up with you, our guide to hangover cures separates what actually works from the myths. And for a lighter read, our roundup of the weirdest beer and alcohol laws around the world covers everything from Germany’s 1516 purity law to America’s dry counties. Fancy a shot with your pint? Our guide to the boilermaker and mixing beer with spirits explains what it does to you. Curious how it is all actually made? Our how beer is made guide walks through it from grain to glass. Our beer ingredients guide covers what is really in the glass. And if beer keeps costing you a good night, our guide to beer and sleep explains why a nightcap backfires.

What temperature does beer freeze at?

Beer freezes at a lower temperature than water because the alcohol in it drags the freezing point down. Pure water turns to ice at 0C (32F), but a standard 5% beer needs to get to roughly -2C (28F), and the stronger the beer, the colder it has to be before it freezes[34]. That is why a can left in the freezer for an hour usually turns slushy rather than solid, and why a high-ABV imperial stout survives the cold better than a light lager. Residual sugars shift the exact number, so treat the curve below as a guide, not gospel.

Approximate freezing point of beer by alcohol content, degrees Celsius, for ethanol-water. Sugars and gravity move the real figure slightly. Source: homebrew chemistry / freezing-point formula.

What is beer actually made of?

For all its variety, beer comes down to four ingredients: water, a malted grain (usually barley), hops and yeast. Germany’s Reinheitsgebot purity law of 1516 famously allowed only the first three, before anyone knew yeast existed. By weight the finished pint is mostly water. A peer-reviewed chemical analysis puts beer at 90 to 95% water, 2 to 6% residual carbohydrates, 2 to 6% ethanol and about 0.35 to 0.50% dissolved carbon dioxide, with trace amino acids, proteins and minerals making up the rest[30].

Typical chemical composition of beer by weight. Source: Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society.

Big commercial brewers often add adjuncts such as corn or rice to lighten body and cut cost, plus small amounts of finings, stabilisers and preservatives. Craft and traditional brewers tend to stick closer to the four-ingredient core, which is part of what you are paying extra for.

6. How big is the beer economy?

How much does beer contribute to the global economy each year?

Beer is a genuinely heavyweight industry. A 2025 study by the World Brewing Alliance and Oxford Economics put the beer sector’s total contribution to global GDP at $878 billion in 2023, about 0.8% of the world economy, or one dollar in every 119[3]. It supported around 33 million jobs across brewing, farming, distribution and hospitality, and generated roughly $373 billion in taxes.

How much does the beer industry contribute by country?

The impact concentrates in the big markets. The United States beer industry alone generated $471 billion in economic output in 2024, about 1.58% of national GDP, and supported 2.42 million jobs[5]. Across the EU, brewing added over EUR 52 billion in value in 2022, with consumers spending EUR 110 billion on beer[4].

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Beer industry economic contribution. Sources: World Brewing Alliance/Oxford Economics (global, 2023), Beer Serves America (US, 2024), Brewers of Europe (EU, 2022).

How much money is spent on beer advertising every year?

Beer is one of the biggest advertisers in drinks. In the United States, the beer category spent about $1.3 billion on advertising in a single recent year, and a growing slice, nearly 39%, now goes to light and low-alcohol brands[20]. Television is still the biggest single channel, though beer TV ad spend has fallen from around $917 million in 2019 to roughly $734 million as brands shift budget to digital and sports.

How much do brewers spend on sports sponsorship?

Sponsorship is where beer and sport meet. Alcohol was the third-biggest sports sponsorship category in North America in 2024-25, with 4,351 deals worth about $1.3 billion a year[19]. Bud Light has been the official NFL beer since 2011, and in 2024 Guinness replaced Budweiser as the Premier League’s official beer, a sign of how fast the pecking order can change.

How big is the craft beer market?

Craft had a tougher run lately. US craft volume fell about 5% in 2025 and the number of craft breweries dipped to 9,578, though craft still nudged its market share up to 13.3% and was worth about $27.8 billion at retail[10]. Counting the full supply chain, craft brewing contributed roughly $71.8 billion to the US economy. The wider global beer market is valued at somewhere between $805 billion and $839 billion and is forecast to pass $1 trillion by 2030[8][9].

Is beer sold more in cans, bottles or on draft?

Cans have quietly won. In 2025, aluminium cans made up 63.4% of US beer volume, glass bottles 27.1% and draft 9.6%, according to the Beer Institute’s packaging report[27]. Draft has clawed back 3.8 points since the pandemic emptied bars in 2020 but is still below its 2019 level. Imported beer bucks the trend, skewing 53% glass because so many classic import brands are bottle-first.

US beer packaging mix, 2025, share of volume. Source: Beer Institute Packaging Mix Report.

Which US state has the most craft breweries?

Two different answers, depending on how you count. By raw number, California leads with 939 craft breweries, well ahead of New York (538) and Pennsylvania[29]. But per head of population it is the small, rural states that dominate: Vermont has 15.4 breweries per 100,000 adults, more than four times California’s rate, followed by Maine and Montana[28]. If you want the densest beer scene in America, head to New England or the Mountain West, not the big coastal states.

Craft breweries per 100,000 adults over 21, by state, 2024. Source: VinePair using Brewers Association data.

Which country exports the most beer?

Mexico, and it is not close. Mexican brewers shipped about $6.5 billion of beer in 2024, roughly 35% of the entire $17 billion global beer export trade, and have been the world’s number-one exporter every year since 2010[31]. Corona and Modelo, pulled north by relentless US demand, did most of the work. The Netherlands ($1.8B) and Belgium ($1.7B) are a distant second and third. The quirk worth noting: the biggest exporter on Earth mostly ships its beer next door, while European lagers rack up far more beer-miles reaching the same American shelves.

Do people pair beer with food?

More than ever. Beer’s wide range of styles, from crisp pilsners to roasty stouts, makes it every bit as food-friendly as wine, and pairing is now a core part of how brewers and pubs market it. We have built out a full set of beer and food pairing guides if you want the practical side: see our beer and food pairing pages for what to drink with everything from curry to chocolate.

7. Who drinks beer? The demographics

Beer preference splits sharply by sex and age. Combining Gallup’s 2024 and 2025 polling, beer is the top choice of men at 53%, ahead of liquor at 26% and wine at 16%. Women lean the other way, preferring wine at 47%, with beer a distant 17%[11]. Age matters too: younger drinkers gravitate to beer and spirits, while older drinkers split between beer and wine.

Preferred alcoholic beverage by sex, US adults, 2024-2025 combined. Source: Gallup.

The most argued-about demographic is Gen Z, and the honest answer is that it cuts both ways. One camp points to survey data showing younger adults drinking less and more health-conscious than any generation before them. The other points to 2026 industry tracking suggesting Gen Z drinking is actually ticking back up as the cohort ages into its late twenties. Both can be true at once: they drink less often, but the ones who do are a serious, brand-aware market, especially for non-alcoholic and premium beer.

8. Frequently asked questions

Which country drinks the most beer per person?

Czechia, at 148.8 litres per person in 2024, has led the world in per capita beer consumption for 32 consecutive years since 1993. Lithuania and Austria are second and third.

Which country drinks the most beer overall?

China, by volume. It drank about 40.5 billion litres in 2024, roughly a fifth of the world total, and has been number one for 22 straight years, ahead of the United States at 22.3 billion litres.

How much does beer contribute to the global economy each year?

The beer sector contributed about $878 billion to global GDP in 2023, roughly 0.8% of the world economy, and supported around 33 million jobs while paying about $373 billion in taxes, according to the World Brewing Alliance and Oxford Economics.

How much money is spent on beer advertising every year?

In the United States the beer category spends about $1.3 billion a year on advertising, with nearly 39% of that now going to light and low-alcohol brands. Beer TV ad spend has fallen from around $917 million in 2019 to about $734 million as budgets move to digital and sport.

How much has non-alcoholic beer grown?

Non-alcoholic beer volume grew about 9% worldwide in 2024 while total alcohol fell around 1%, and in the US it jumped 23% in a single year. It is forecast to grow roughly 8% a year through 2029 and to become the second-largest beer category by volume.

How much does a pint of beer cost around the world?

Prices range from about $1.30 in Bangui to $21.45 in Doha across 128 countries surveyed, with a global average near $3.50. Qatar, the UAE and the Nordic countries are the priciest; parts of Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia are the cheapest.

What is the average and median price of a pint?

In UK pubs a pint of lager averaged just over GBP 5.00 in 2025 and a Guinness about GBP 5.56. In Ireland the average pint of Guinness is around EUR 6.35 with a median of EUR 6.30. In the US the average bar pint is roughly $6.85.

What beer has the highest alcohol content?

Scottish Beithir Fire, made by 88 Brewery in Edinburgh, at 75% ABV. It is brewed as a high-ABV barley ale, blended with Scottish spirit and filtered three times, and sold with a warning label recommending servings of just 35ml. Before it, Brewmeister’s Snake Venom at 67.5% ABV held the record.

How many beers does it take to get drunk?

It depends on body weight, food, sex and the beer’s strength. One 12oz beer at 5% ABV is one standard drink, the liver clears about one per hour, and US driving becomes illegal at 0.08% blood alcohol, which many adults reach after three to four regular beers in a couple of hours. A 10% craft beer counts as two standard drinks.

How long does beer last before it goes bad?

Unopened and stored cold, most beer stays good for 6 to 9 months past its best-before date. Hoppy IPAs are best within 2 to 3 weeks to 3 months, lagers within 90 to 180 days, while strong and dark styles can improve for years.

What are the most expensive beers in the world?

BrewDog’s The End of History, a 55% ABV ale bottled inside taxidermied animals, has sold for up to $20,000 a bottle. Australia’s Antarctic Nail Ale has fetched $800 to $1,800.

How much beer does the average American drink?

About 26 gallons of beer per adult a year. By state, New Hampshire tops the list but is inflated by tax-free cross-border sales; Montana and Vermont are the genuine leaders.

9. Sources

1. Kirin Holdings, Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2024 (Dec 2025). Link
2. Visual Capitalist, Ranked: The Countries That Drink the Most Beer (2026). Link
3. World Brewing Alliance and Oxford Economics, Global Beer Report (Feb 2025). Link
4. The Brewers of Europe, The Contribution Made by Beer to the European Economy (2024). Link
5. Beer Serves America, Beer Institute and NBWA (2025 report, 2024 data). Link
6. IWSR, No- and low-alcohol data (2025). Link
7. The Business Research Company, Non-Alcoholic Beer Market (2026). Link
8. Grand View Research, Beer Market Size, Share and Trends (2024). Link
9. Mordor Intelligence, Beer Market Size and Growth (2025). Link
10. Brewers Association, National Beer Stats and Economic Impact (2025-2026). Link
11. Gallup, Consumption Habits poll (2024-2025). Link
12. NIAAA, What Is a Standard Drink. Link
13. Cleveland Clinic, Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). Link
14. Finder, Pint Prices in 150+ Countries (2024). Link
15. Metro UK, The Cost of a Pint Worldwide, Ranked (2025). Link
16. The Morning Advertiser, UK pint and Guinness prices (2025). Link
17. RTE and CSO, Ireland price of a pint (2025-2026). Link
18. GetPint, Ireland Guinness Price Index. Link
19. SportsBusiness Journal, Sports Sponsorship by Category (2024-25). Link
20. Vivvix / MediaRadar via Business Insider, US beer ad spend (2024). Link
21. 88 Brewery, Scottish Beithir Fire, world’s strongest beer (75% ABV); The Drinks Business coverage of the release. Link
22. The Drinks Business, The Most Expensive Beer in the World. Link
23. Food & Wine and VinePair, how long beer lasts. Link
24. Food Quality and Preference, Glass shape influences the flavour of beer. Link
25. Arryved via Brewers Association, US pint prices. Link
26. AB InBev and Ipsos, Cheers to Beer / consumer trends (2026). Link
27. Beer Institute, Packaging Mix Report (2025). Link
28. VinePair, The States With the Most Craft Breweries in 2024. Link
29. Brewers Association, State Craft Beer Sales and Production Statistics (2025). Link
30. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (SciELO), chemical composition of beer. Link
31. Statista and World Bank WITS, top beer exporters worldwide by value (2024). Link
32. Weihenstephan, Bavarian State Brewery, brewery history. Link
33. Growth Market Reports, Protein Beer Market (2025). Link
34. Homebrew Stack Exchange and Freezing Point of Beer Calculator, ABV freezing-point relationship. Link
35. TBC Capital, Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages 2026 report, via Georgia Today and CBW (Aug 2026). Link
36. Tax Foundation, Beer Taxes in Europe (2025 data). Link
37. Hillebrand Gori, US Alcohol Import Tariffs guide (2026). Link
38. Support Your Local / Irish Times, International Comparisons of Irish Alcohol Excise Taxation (Aug 2026). Link
39. Hartford Business Journal / News 12 Connecticut, CT small businesses brace for higher costs from new tariffs (Aug-Sep 2026). Link
40. Eurostat, EU produced 34.4 billion litres of beer in 2025 (Aug 2026). Link
41. Novinite / BTA, Bulgaria ranks 13th in EU beer production and consumption, via Union of Brewers in Bulgaria (Aug-Sep 2026). Link
42. NZ Herald / Stats NZ, Beer remains NZ’s beverage of choice as alcohol consumption falls to lowest level since records began (Sep 2026). Link
43. Informat.ro, Germany produces more than one-fifth of EU beer in a year of declining European production, citing Eurostat PRODCOM data (Sep 2026). Link

Figures on this page were compiled and fact-checked in December 2025 from the primary sources listed above. We review and refresh the data every December as new annual reports (Kirin, Brewers Association, IWSR) are published. Next scheduled update: December 2026.

For more on American brewing history specifically, see our piece on the oldest brewery in the United States, still operating almost 200 years after it opened.

For how Scotland’s beer culture compares globally, see our Scottish beer brands.