Boozin’ Blog

2008 wrapped up with Germans having drunk 2%, or two liters, of beer less per capita than the previous year. This article blames things like the smoking ban in pubs and the global recession (countering the popular perception that beer is recession-proof) but I doubt it’s as simple as that.

The third reason - young people are turning away from beer - the article sites is more on the money. The first two have merit but that would lead one to believe that the decline in German beer would be isolated to 2008. It isn’t.

For years, even decades, Germans have been gradually drinking less and less beer. There is a cultural shift in German society that I don’t pretend to understand. I’m only aware of it through this one symptom – twenty-somethings are drinking less of the national drink than ever.

Like I said, I don’t pretend to know why but I’m not ashamed to float a couple of theories. First is that the EU’s more open market offers a wider variety of imported beers, wines and spirits and at lower prices than previously. With more competition inevitably comes a decrease in sales.

Second are the traditional ties that Germans have with beer. Why this would this would affect modern generations more than previous ones is beyond me but it might be an explanation. Drinking beer is what the old folks do. It’s what the hometown losers have always done and young drinkers are looking for new and sexier drinks.

German brewers have relied on tradition and the drinkers in their region to keep them in business. Even today they put very little thought into marketing and packaging. While I agree that a fancy new label doesn’t affect the brew on the inside it certainly helps the sales.

And there lies the solution. German brewers have to learn how to market, package and even export their beer. For example here in the US German beer retains a reputation of being the best. With some work German brewers can move into this market more aggressively and replace the domestic sales they’re losing. The ones that have figured this out, Paulaner, Spaten and a few others, have been and will continue to be successful. Those that don’t will not make it.

Share This