Germany: 65,000 workers in the beer industry to produce more than 10% of the world’s beer

Germany has one of the world’s highest per-capita consumption rates of beer (123 litres per person in 2003 and 114.6 l in 2005). The beer industry employs about 65,000 workers, and German beer accounts for more than 10% of the world’s production, The Financial Express posted June 18.

The three states of Bayern, Westfalen and Bremen produce over half of the 115 million hectolitres produced annually in Germany. There are some 1,300 odd breweries in Germany which manage to produce a whopping 5,000-6,000 varieties which is indeed surprising as Germany’s Beer Law restricts brewers to just four basic ingredients (water, barley, yeast and hops), and forbids flavouring beer with any other additives.

For the layman, German beers can be categorised into a couple of broad categories:

Pilsner: With its light golden-colour, this is the most popular beer in Germany. A pint of Pils from the tap usually takes three minutes to pour as the foam needs to settle following each refill before the creamy head results.

Weizen: This beer brewed mainly in Bavaria is unlike others as it is based on wheat and not barley, which gives it a unique colour and flavour. Usually drunk out of tall conical glasses

Kolsch: A clear, golden brew and far less bitter than a Pilsner, this beer is found mostly in the Cologne region.

Altbier: From Düsseldorf and the lower Rhine region, it is darkish amber in colour and has a fruity taste. Weisse comes from Berlin and is dark yellow and has a lightly sour taste.

Non-alcoholic beers: With the health and fitness wave finally percolating into mainstream Germany, its brewers were amongst the first to introduce non-alcoholic beers some 20 years ago. Non-alcoholic beer or “alkoholfrei bier” is available in many of above beer types.

A sea change has come over beer drinkers in the last couple of decades. Earlier the Export/ Edel type of beer ruled the roost with over 50% market share in the ’70s. Today Pilsner or Pils has turned the tables with nearly 70% of beer drinkers preferring this variant. Wiezen is the third most popular variant with 6% market share.

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