Bavaria's brewers celebrate export record despite Corona - "got away with a white-blue eye"

Created: 02/11/2022, 07:49 am

By: Dominik Goettler

Despite the corona pandemic, Bavarian brewers are happy about a new beer export record.

© Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/dpa

Per capita beer consumption has been falling for years.

But two trends are halfway saving the Bavarian brewers' balance sheet despite the corona pandemic.

Munich – Last year was actually a horror year for Bavaria's beer brewers.

Folk festivals once again fell victim to the pandemic, gastronomy was still forced to close at the beginning of the year, and later the curfew curbed the thirst for beer.

"The life's work is slipping through the hands of many a traditional brewery," says Georg Schneider, head of the brewery at Schneider Weisse and president of the Bavarian Brewers' Association.

According to the association, five Bavarian breweries have ceased operations forever during the pandemic.

However, there were no Upper Bavarian companies.

And that's for a reason.

Because two trends play into the hands of the Bavarian and especially the Upper Bavarian brewers.

Bavaria's export hit: brewers happy about export record - beer for the world

Trend one is domestic.

As reported, the Germans have developed a taste for Bavarian Hellen.

While south of the white sausage equator, the tasty variant has been one of the most popular beers for decades, Bavaria's brewers are now stealing more and more market share from Pils throughout Germany.

Trend two also relates to exports, but this time to the wide world.

The Bavarian breweries set a record here.

With a share of 24.8 percent, more beer goes abroad from Bavaria than ever before.

And not only to the almost neighbor to Italy, also Russia, China or Great Britain swear by Upper Bavarian beer art.

Here, on the other hand, wheat beer is a perennial favorite - and not just from the big top dogs like Franziskaner or Erdinger, but according to the association, smaller brewers have also been able to carve out a niche in export.

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Bavaria's brewers record sales growth despite the pandemic - "got away with a white-blue eye"

These two trends mean that Bavaria is the only federal state in Germany to record a small increase (2.1 percent) in total beer sales compared to the first Corona year.

“We got away with a black and white eye,” says Georg Schneider.

Nevertheless, compared to the pre-crisis level, there is still a deficit of 500,000 hectoliters, which is a not inconsiderable 50 million liters of beer.

It would take about seven Oktoberfests to catch up.

Because nothing has changed in one development: Germans are drinking less and less beer.

While per capita consumption was around 150 liters per year in the 1970s, today it is just over 90 liters.

The demographic development does the rest.

The baby boomers are slowly approaching retirement age.

To put it simply, the next generation of beer drinkers is missing.

A return to the folk festivals and open taps in the taverns will not change that much.

Bavaria's breweries continue to focus on non-alcoholic beverages in Germany - "has a future"

For domestic customers, Bavaria's breweries have been relying on the alcohol-free alternative for years.

According to a survey by the Brauerbund, the market share of non-alcoholic beers and mixed beer drinks is now 7.6 percent.

"Alcohol-free beer has a future," sums up Georg Schneider.

“It has little or no alcohol and few calories.” And, he is convinced, it now tastes really good.

Georg Schneider's greatest wish: that the people in the Free State find their way back to a "Bavarian attitude to life" as quickly as possible.

For the brewery manager, it goes without saying that half a Bavarian beer is part of this lifestyle.