Slovakia: Beer production slightly up in 2022
Beer production in Slovakia went up slightly last year, with breweries almost reaching outputs seen in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, Slovak Association of Beer and Malt Producers' (SZVPS) executive director Vladimír Machalík told TASR on July 31, referring to the Agriculture Ministry statistics.
There are 101 breweries currently operating in Slovakia.
"In 2022, brewery output continued to grow slightly. The total production of alcoholic, non-alcoholic beer and flavoured beer reached 317.5 million litres. The production of alcoholic beer grew to 244.9 million litres, the highest figure to be reported since 2013 when it amounted to 287 million litres. However, the production of non-alcoholic beer grew most rapidly, by three fifths. Flavoured beers were the only segment to post a drop in output drop - by 7 percent year-on-year (y-o-y)," said Machalik.
Following a challenging pandemic period, the production of alcoholic beer increased by 1.4 percent y-o-y. Bottom-fermented lagers prevailed in popularity among consumers, but new types of beer were discovered, and the trend of brewing seasonal beer specials is intensifying among Slovak breweries. One surprise came in the form of top-fermented beers with a fruit component, so-called sour ales. These are traditionally intended for the summer season, but in Slovakia craft breweries brew them throughout the year thanks to constant demand from customers.
The production of non-alcoholic beers grew from 7.6 million litres in 2021 to 12.1 million litres last year, an increase of 59 percent. Slovakia has thus maintained one of the top positions in the European Union in terms of the popularity of non-alcoholic beer.
"Last year was a very challenging year for breweries in Slovakia. The initial months were still hit by the pandemic, which was joined by the war in Ukraine and extreme growth in the prices of raw materials and energy. Subsequently, inflation began to grow significantly and affect disposable incomes. Despite this, several new craft breweries were set up in Slovakia, which means that beer is still among the favourite drinks among Slovaks. In the gastronomy sector beer is the most important beverage in terms of sales share," added Machalik.
SZVPS is an association of beer and malt producers in Slovakia, controlling 96 percent of the Slovak beer market and 98 percent of the Slovak malt market. It's a member of the Brewers of Europe association.
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