Germany’s non-alcoholic beer production has enjoyed a boom in the last 10 years, according to a new report. Low-alcohol drinks like Radler are also seeing increased sales.
Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, published a new report on Tuesday highlighting that drinkers across the country are increasingly turning to alcohol-free varieties for their after-work or weekend choice of beer.
In the last ten years, the production of non-alcoholic beer has more than doubled in Germany. In 2023, that amounted to some 556 million liters (147 million gallons) and €548 million ($593 million) in sales.
The new statistics were published to coincide with International Beer Day, which is August 2.
Destatis also noted that the production of low-alcohol drinks like Radler, a mixture of beer and lemonade, has also increased from 328 million liters in 2013 to 363 million liters in 2023.
“However,” the report said, “there is still much more beer with alcohol being produced” in Germany than non-alcoholic.
If you can find it, Augustiner Hell Alkohholfrei is the best alc free beer.
I haven’t had that one, but will keep an eye out for it! My vote - so far - goes to Ur Krostitzer Alkoholfrei though - of all the non alcoholic beers I’ve tried in Germany, it has by far the most beer-like taste, doesn’t taste weirdly malty and hasn’t replaced the alcohol with sugar….
Nice. Will look for it.
Here in Texas, Karbach makes a Free & Easy NA that comes in both an IPA and Belgian style that are pretty tasty.
Any recs on good NA whiskey?