German Beer Statistics : beer production, consumption, import and export

German Beer Statistics

Production - Consumption - Breweries - Brands

The latest version of this site is at my new domain http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/gerstats.htm.

Introduction

This page contains various German brewing industry statistics - beer production, beer consumption, beer consumption per head, number of breweries - that sort of stuff. (I know it's a bit sad, but I find it fascinating. I wouldn't go to all the trouble of putting these pages together if I didn't.)

The sources from which the information has been assembled are listed at the end of each table. (Awfully dull some of this junk, isn't it? But I am trying to do this semi-seriously, so I fell obliged to do the didactic bit. Look, if you're after laughs, why are you reading a page of statistics?)

I add new figures as soon as they are available. When I have time (where have you heard that one before?) I will append more historical statistics.

Index
Overview (1996)
German Beer Classifications
Beer production
Beer consumption
German Breweries
Beer brands

German Beer Statistics

Overview of the German Brewing Industry (1996)

Total beer production:	114,237,000 hl
%age of European production:	26.5%
Total beer consumption:	107,800,000 hl
Consumption per head:	131.7 l
Number of breweries:	1234
Beer exports:	8,539,000 hl
Beer imports:	2,168,000 hl
Draught beer percentage:	22%
Notes: The only countries with which Germany has a trade deficit in beer are Belgium, the Czech Republic and Mexico.

Beer Market shares of largest brewery groups (1997)
rank	Market share (%)	Brewery group
1	9%	Brau & Brunnen
2	7.3%	Binding Group
3	5.5%	Haus Kramer
4	5.3%	Holsten Group
5	4.3%	Bitburger
6	4.3%	März group
7	3.9%	Krombacher
8	3.2%	Gilde
9	2.9%	Karlsberger
10	2.7%	Beck
	51.6%	Others
Source: Brauwelt Brevier 1998

German brewing industry finances
	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Turnover (euros)			9,682,000,000	9,455,000,000	9,397,000,000	9,273,000,000	9,227,000,000*	9,325,000,000	9,022,000,000
Tax paid (euros)		878,664,000	868,208,000	842,237,000	844,625,000	830,342,000	828,533,000	811,478,000	783,000,000
Tax per hl (euros)		8.42	8.42	8.41	8.41	8.40	8.56	8.42
Beer production cost index	100	101.6	102.8	103.7	104.1	105.4	107.1	109.7
Beer price index		98.6	99.3	99.7	100	100	101	102.7
Cost of living index		95.3	95.3	97.1	98	100	102	103.4
Source: Deutscher Brauer-Bund * Breweries with more than 20 employees.

German Beer Statistics

German beer Classifications

Type	Plato	% Alc
Einfachbier	2-5.5°	0.5-1.5
Schankbier	7-8°	0.3-2.6
Vollbier	11-14°	3.0-5.3
Starkbier	16°>	5.0-10.0
Notes: Until 1990, beer outside these bands (i.e. 8°> <11° and 14°> <16°) was not permitted. In 1991 98.8% of production was vollbier. Source: Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993.

German Beer Statistics

Beer Production

German Beer Production, Beer Imports, Beer Exports and Beer Consumption (1000 hl)
	1881/1882	1885/86	1890/91	1891/92	1892/93	1893/94	1894/95	1895/96	1896/97	1897/98	1898/99	1899/1900
Production:
Deutsches Zollgebied	36,663,000	39,822,000	49,925,000	50,268,000	51,795,000	52,528,000	52,311,000	57,299,000	48,169,000	62,649,000	64,164,000	65,621,000
Brausteuergebied	19,244,000	22,105,000	29,374,000	29,695,000	30,186,000	31,290,000	30,916,000	34,337,000	34,904,000	37,707,000	38,465,000	39,320,000
Bayern	11,826,000	12,655,000	14,427,000	14,490,000	15,104,000	15,025,000	15,186,000	16,034,000	16,206,000	16,982,000	17,455,000	17,739,000
Baden	1,155,000	1,244,000	1,679,000	1,643,000	1,714,000	1,710,000	1,728,000	1,914,000	2,192,000	2,741,000	2,947,000	3,095,000
Württemberg	3,396,000	2,879,000	3,508,000	3,454,000	3,749,000	3,478,000	3,493,000	3,885,000	3,796,000	4,100,000	4,069,000	4,128,000
Alsace-Lorraine	932,000	691,000	837,000	875,000	912,000	907,000	869,000	997,000	937,000	964,000	1,058,000	1,128,000
Exports	890,000	1,249,000	626,000	612,000	577,000	590,000	576,000	647,000	664,000	648,000	625,000	682,000
Imports	101,000	111,000	229,000	283,000	353,000	428,000	465,000	547,000	561,000	576,000	568,000	631,000
Consumption	35,874,000	38,684,000	49,528,000	49,939,000	51,571,000	52,366,000	52,200,000	57,199,000	58,066,000	62,577,000	64,107,000	65,569,000
Consumption per head			99.90	97.70	101.90	102.50	100.90	109.20	109.20	116.10	117.10	117.90
Source: "Jahrbuch der Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin, 1911", p.585-589 Notes: Deutsches Zollgebied includes Luxemburg.

German Beer Production, Beer Imports, Beer Exports and Beer Consumption (1000 hl)
	1929	1938	1950	1960	1970	1976	1980	1983	1986	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Production
Germany	64,000**	31,424&	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	104,281#	118,031	120,158	115,800	118,300	116,900	114,200	114,800	111,700	112,800	110,400	108,500	107,600	105,300
(West)	-	-	16,692&	53,739&	87,051&	92,700	92,342&	95,100	94,100
(East)	-	-	3,800&	13,424&	16,642&	19,300	24,200&	-	24,300 (estimated)	9,900&
Exports																8,999	9,237	8,930	9,475	10,752	10,842	11,057	12,095
Imports											2,809$$					3,015	3,279	2,823	3,054	3,228	3,806	3,305	2,738
Consumption					85,603++		89,820++			98,283++	113,871++	114,424++	110,338++	112,386++	110,999++	107,987	107,679	104,550	104,767	103,105	100,904	100,438	97,107
Sources: # http://www.germannews.com/biercontest/e_biersonstig.html @ The Confederation of Belgian Brewers. + Brauwelt Brevier 1998 * Brauwelt 30/2002 ** ABC o napojich, 1986 & Brauwelt 50/2002 $ Brauwelt 08/2003 Years 1996 - 2003 Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn ++ Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn $$ Brauwelt 4-5/2004, page 112

German beer production by state (1000 hl)
State	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Baden-Württemberg	9,022	8,619	8,023	7,987	7,881	7,700	7,750	7,700	7,730
Bayern	24,900	24,800	23,500	23,300	22,900	22,800	23,100	22,938	22,533
Berlin/Brandenburg	4,349	4,383	4,221	3,933	3,724	3,800	3,782	3,609	3,801
Hessen	7,329	7,092	6,547	6,235	5,932	5,300	4,821	3,615	3,436
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	1,829	1,973	2,131	1,517	1,959	2,500	2,099	2,746	3,096
Niedersachsen/Bremen	11,088	12,053	11,815	12,143	12,446	11,500	11,724	10,619	11,140
Nordrhein-Westfalen	30,482	29,937	29,263	29,355	28,744	28,300	28,200	26,684	26,728
Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland	8,893	8,877	9,113	9,325	8,229	7,700	8,425	8,193	7,884
Sachsen	7,118	7,681	7,807	8,325	8,439	8,400	8,460	8,646	8,740
Sachsen-Anhalt	1,831	2,154	2,267	2,302	2,382	2,100	2,592	2,990	2,965
Schleswig-Holstein/Hamburg	4,491	4,663	4,337	4,683	4,732	4,300	3,459	4,280	4,270
Thüringen	2,394	2,600	2,670	3,084	3,127	4,100	4,000	3,548	3,579
Germany	114,200	114,800	111,700	112,800	110,400	108,500	108,400	105,568	105,804
Source: 1996-2002: Deutscher Brauer-Bund 2003-2004: Brauwelt Brevier 2005, p.62

German beer imports by origin (1000 hl)
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Denmark	1,070	956	1,071	1,321	1,372	1,487	1,389
Netherlands	932	656	542	689	734	431	143
Czech Republic	548	503	493	450	526	583	735
Belgium/Luxembourg	399	396	450	546	526	506	207
Austria	1	2	2	4	80	111	128
Ireland	195	152	71	172	29	4	-
UK	18	10	133	29	8	16	36
Italy					1*	14*
France					87*	2*
Total	3,279	2,823	3,054	3,228	3,806	3,305	2,738
%age of consumption	3.0	2.7	2.9	3.1	3.8	3.3	2.8
Sources: Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn * Brauwelt 4-5/2004, page 112

German beer exports by destination (1000 hl)
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Italy	1,579	1,598	1,625	1,711	2,232	2,420	2,616
UK	1,458	1,252	1,136	1,111	2,069	1,555	1,514
USA	1,219	1,321	1,421	1,466	1,490	1,517	1,527
France	1,099	1,164	1,122	919	2,372	1,213	854
Netherlands	814	676	511	487	820	762	698
Spain	637	774	784	926	1,304	1,268	793
Russia	421	283	29	23	30	35	25
Total	9,237	8,930	9,464	10,752	10,842	11,056	12,095
%age of production	8.0	8.0	8.4	9.8	10.0	10.2	11.38
Source: Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn

German beer production by fermentation type
Beer type	1983	1991	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Bottom-fermenting:	84.7%	85%	89.2%	89.3%	89.5%	89.5%	89.3%	89%	88.7%
Top-fermenting:	15.3%	15%	10.8%	10.7%	10.5%	10.5%	10.7%	11%	11.3%
Sources: 1983: Das Deutsche Bier (Bild Atlas), 1984. 1991: Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993. 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001: Brauwelt Brevier 2003 2002: Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn

German beer production by package type (%)
Beer Package Type	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Draught	22.7	21.7	21.0	19.9	19.5	19.3	19.5	19.5	19.3	19.5
Returnable bottles	60.3	59.6	60.0	59.9	58.8	57.9	55.5	53.6	51	64.9
Nonreturnable bottles and cans	17.1	18.7	19.0	20.1	21.7	22.8	25.0	27.0	29.7	15.6
Source: Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn

German beer production by beer type (%)
type	1968	1970	1976	1992
Export	57%	50%	32%
Pils	19%	25%	41%	80% (North)
				60-70% (Middle)
				50% (South-west)
				25% (Bavaria)
Source: Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993.

German beer production by beer type (%)
Beer type	1968	1970	1976	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2001	2002	2003
Pils	19	25	41	64.1	66	68.1	67.8	67.9	66.9	68.6
Export/Edel/Spezial	57	50	32	10.1	9.7	8.8	8.8	9	9.5	7.3
Weizen				4.5	4.8	4.9	5.3	5.7	6	6.3
Hell				4.5	4.4	3.7	3.7	3.4	3.2	2.9
Alt				3.6	3.5	3.4	3.1	2.9	2.9	2.9
Kölsch				2.7	2.4	2.2	2.1	2.1	2.1	2.1
Malz				2.1	2	1.9	1.9	1.8	1.8	2.6
Alcohol free				3.7	3.4	2.9	2.7	2.7	2.8	2.6
Leichtbier				1.7	1.4	1.1	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.6
Schwarzbier										1.0
Bock										1.1
Diet										0.4
Sources: 1968, 1970, 1976: Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993. 1992-2001: Brauwelt Brevier 2003 2002: Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn

Beer production by type (DDR) (%)
type	1985
Helles vollbier	57%
Pils	38%
Source: Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993.

When first bottom-fermenting beer was produced
city	Münchener	pils
Berlin	1830	1890
Hannover	1832
Dortmund	1843
Holzminden	1848
Pfungstadt	1846
Hamburg		1901
Bitburg		1909
Source: Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993.

German Beer Statistics

German beer consumption

German Beer consumption per capita (litres)
	1970	1976	1980	1986	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Germany	-	-	-	-	-	141.9	142	135.9	138	135.9	131.9	131.2	127.5	127.5	125.3	122.4	121.5	117.7
(West)	141.1	147	145.9	153	142.7
(East)		118		153*
Sources: 1976 - World Guide to Beer, Michael Jackson, 1977 1986 - Larousse la bière, 1988 Years 1970, 1980, 1990 - 2003 Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn

German Beer Statistics

German breweries

Total number of breweries in Germany

1880

1933

1938

1950

1960

1970

1976

1980

1990

1991

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

19000#

3795

2100@

3200@*

2218@*

1815@

1626*

1364@*

1329@*

1315

1243

1234

1273

1285

1281

1279

1298

1287

1275

1274

DDR

218@

152@

139

145

152

156

162

166

170

172

Sources:
Die Biere Deutschlands, 1993.
Brauwelt Brevier 1998
Hopfen & Malz, C.Seidl, 1995
@ Brauwelt 50/2002
Years 1997 - 2004 Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn

Notes:
# = maximum number ever achieved
* = W.Germany only

Number of Breweries per German State
state	1976	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Schleswig-Hol/Hamb	10	20@	23@	22@	22@	19*	17*	16	18	15	13	13	13	12	13
Schleswig-Holstein	6	-	-	-	-
Hamburg	4	-	-	-	-
Nieder-Sachs/Bremen	38	38@	39@	39@	39@	38*	37*	42	42	44	47	49	48	49	49
Nieder-Sachsen	32	-	-	-	-
Bremen	6	-	-	-	-
Nordrhein-Westphalen	121	101@	108@	106@	102@		105	107	114	115	114	121	121	117	118
Hessen	49	51@	53@	53@	53@	53*	53*	56	61	62	62	65	66	64	63
Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarl	47	36@	38@	35@	34@	35*	38*	39	39	42	48	53	51	49	52
Rheinland-Pfalz	36	28	-	-	-
Saarland	11	8	-	-	-
Baden-Würtemburg	237	180@	179@	176@	168@	170*	166*	169	170	167	169	179	177	173	178
Bavaria	1,122	787@	797@	766@	744@	702*	691*	699	696	684	670	656	643	641	629
West Berlin	12	-	-	-	-
Berlin/Brand.	-	23@	26@	26@	20@	22*	27*	32	33	31	35	34	34	36	38
Sachsen	-	40@	34@	33@	32@	32*	34*	38	45	50	51	56	56	54	55
Mecklenburg/Vorp.		9@	7@	7@	6@	9*	9*	11	11	12	14	17	18	19	18
Sachsen-Anhalt	-	20@	16@	15@	13@	13*	13*	12	13	16	15	15	18	18	18
Thuringen	-	51@	45@	41@	45@	46*	48*	52	43	43	41	40	42	43	43
Germany	-	1356@	1365@	1319@	1278@	1243*	1234*	1273	1285	1281	1279	1298	1287	1275	1274
Germany (West)	1,626	-	-	-
Sources: * Brauwelt Brevier 1998 @ Die Deutsche Brauwirtschaft in Zahlen, 1994 Years 1997 - 2002 Deutscher Brauer-Bund, Bonn June 1997: the USA has for the first time the most breweries in the world - 1,273 to 1,234 in Germany (Source: Institute of Brewing Studies)

Largest Breweries

Total Production (1000 hl)

Company	1989	1991	1993	1994	1995	1996	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Brau & Brunnen - Total sales Domestic sales	5350 5196	7050 6928	-	-	10281 -	9950 -	7981 -	7548 -	7094 -	7190 -	7200 7200	8500 8000
Radeberger (Binding) group - Total sales Domestic sales	5544 4971	8950 8178	-	-	9179 -	8750 -	9800 -	9800 -	9500 -	8920 -	8806 7806	8000 7000
Holsten group - Total sales Domestic sales	3775 2875	6100 5000	-	-	7300	7100	7100	8455	10000	9900	9800 8700	8800 7700
Haus Kramer -Total sales Domestic sales	2940 2816	4840 4639	-	-	6450 -	6240 -	5645 -	5667 -	5677 -	5637 -	5697 4903	4800 4100
Interbrew (Becks, Gilde) -Total Domestic sales	3843 1960	4373 2373	-	-	5500 -	5624 -	5431 -	5437 -	5743 -	5740 -	7230 4500	11400 8000
Bitburger - Total sales Domestic sales	2721 2672	3129 3005	-	-	4700 -	4800 -	4955 -	5133 -	5060 -	5030 -	5102 4806	5800 5500
März group (Henninger, etc.)	4850	-	-	-	4776	4613	3999	3925	4317	4320	-	-
Stute Nährungsmittel	-	-	-	-	-	-	5680	5600	5500	5650	6000
Krombacher -Total sales Domestic sales	1729 1679	2700 2625	-	-	4130 -	4290 -	4610 -	4830 -	4790 -	4693 -	4865 4747	5200 5130
Spaten group (2004 on Interbrew)	-	-	-	-	-	-	3852	3905	4055	3975	4011
Gilde (after 2002 Interbrew)	1694	-	-	-	3358	3576	3901	3840	4207	4463	4809	n/a
Karlsberger	2309	-	-	-	3773	3483	3475	3479	3500	3600	4000
Kulmbacher	1818	2011	-	-	n/a	2345	1917	1896	1921	1950	n/a	n/a
Paulaner	2285	-	-	-	2277	2333	2686	2743	2748	2750	n/a	n/a
Bayerische Brau Holding (Paulaner & Kulmbacher)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	4724 -	4647 -	4690 4160	4700 4170
Veltins - Total sales Domestic sales	605 -	1987 -	-	-	2270 -	2281 -	2242 -	2320 -	2360 -	2360 -	2378 2359	2400 2340
König (after 2001 Holsten group)	2211	-	-	-	2207	2156	2032	2178	2300	2300
Oettinger group -Total sales Domestic sales	1729 -	1013 -	-	-	1880	2055	2684	2934	3121	3397	3989 3684	5200 4800
Verbund Homburg - Total sales Domestic sales	2309 2122	3330 3092	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3800 3400	4000 3500
Actris group -Total sales Domestic sales	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2340 2258	1940 1860

Source:
Brauwelt nr. 10/11 (1998)
Brauwelt Brevier 2002 (for the years 1998-2000)
Brauwelt nr. 27 2003 (for the years 2001-2002)
Brauwelt 4-5/2004, page 95 (years 1991 and 2003, domestic sales 1989,1991, 2002 and 2003)

Brewery groups (as of 2003):
Interbrew: Becks, Diebels, Gilde.
Holsten Group: Feldshlößchen, König, Licher, Landskron
Brau und Brunnen: Berliner-Verbund, Leipziger-Verbund, Kölner-Verbund, Jever, Schlösser, Rostocker, Tucher.
Bitburger: Köstritzer, Schultheiss, Koblez, Wernesgrüner.
Oettinger: breweries in Gotha, Dessow, Schwerin, Mönchen-Gladbach.
Haus Kramer: Paderborner, Isenbeck, Weißenberg.
Verbund Homburg: Trierer Löwen, Becker, St. Ingbert, Königsbacher, Nette.
Actris: Eichbaum, Freiberger, Mammut.
Spaten group: Löwenbräu, Dinkelacker.

German Beer Statistics

German beer brands

Largest Beer Brands

Total Production (1000 hl)

Company	1991	1995	1996	1997	2000
Krombacher	2650	4024	4174	4454	4672
Warsteiner	4643	5700	5511	5127	4503
Bitburger	2987	3958	3980	3946	3972
Oettinger	1013	1170	1230	1300	2810
Veltins	1987	2257	2260	2267	2304
Hasseröder	350	1456	1711	2003	2293
König	2188	2073	2001	2157	2175
Holsten	2900	2400	2200	2100	2050
Radeberger	400	1360	1535	1712	1996
Beck's	1250	1650	1605	1717	1860
Paulaner	1900	1566	1632	1689	1795
Diebels	1575	1648	1619	1599	1472
Jever	1200	1358	1464	1540	1450
Karlsberg	1524	1400	1400	1400	1450
Kulmbacher	2011		1582	1421	1284
Henninger	1800	1330	1673	1558	1273
Erdinger	1100	1286	1243	1265	1275
Licher	1507	1438	1338	1320	1050
Berliner Kindl	1174	1140	1107	1005	1013

Source:
Brauwelt Brevier 1998, 1999, 2002.

Foreign Beer Brands in Germany (1000 hl)
Country	2001	2002
Danish Brewery Group A/S	922	962
Tuborg (brewed in Germany)	490	450
Desperados (Karlsberg)	280	280
Budweiser Budvar	194	197
Pilsner Urquell	139	153
Staropramen	120	132
Carlsberg (brewed in Germany)	100	100
Guinness (including Kilkenny)	114	95
Heineken	73	73
Miller	55	50
Foster's	60	43
Corona	41	43
Salitos Tequila	26	38
Efes	26	35
Sol	30	13
Source: Brauwelt 4-5/2004, page 113

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	Buying German Beer in the USA

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