Countries that drink the most beer

Beer is a truly international drink. But which countries drink the most of it? The data, from Kirin Holdings (which oversees the Kirin Brewery Company) released in January this year, shows the estimated levels of beer consumption for each country in 2020.

Although global beer consumption in 2020 was estimated to be in the region of a vast 177.5 million kiloliters (about 375 billion pints), this was actually a decline of 12.8 million kl on 2019 levels, due to the pandemic.

In 2022 there is a global beer crisis with shortages of CO2, barley, fuel and labor, a worsening geopolitical and climate situation, rampant inflation and reduced consumer spending power.

However, the statistics are based on overall figures ascertained by questionnaires that Kirin sent to beer producers’ associations around the world.

1) China – 36,088 thousand kl out of a population of about 1.4 billion. The People’s Republic has been the largest consumer of beer consecutively since 2003. Recent reports suggest that the beer industry is experiencing exponential growth.

2) USA – 24,105 thousand kl where there are large brewers and a thriving craft beer. However, brewers are vulnerable to the current climate: The lack of CO2 has forced several to close and others to reduce exports to less competitive countries on the market.

3) Brazil – 13,847 thousand kl is considered the third largest country in the world for beer production and is also for drinking beer. The preference for the refreshing drink could be attributed to the climate, indeed, throughout Latin America there is a growing trend for cold beer delivery – a service that could well prove popular in other parts of the world.

4) Russia – 8,646 thousand kl, which is a huge amount of beer, but it rarely reaches international markets because it is largely consumed domestically. In response to the invasion of Ukraine, many major breweries, suspended operations in the country, a decision that led to a decline in foreign beers.

5) Mexico – 8,287 thousand kl with the two most valuable well-known brands in the world, and Mexico itself is the fourth largest beer producing country in the world. However, the climate disaster forced President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador to block breweries in northern Mexico due to water shortages in the region.

6) Germany – 7,746 thousand kl is not reserved only for Oktoberfest. The country has long been associated with beer production, but bottle shortages due to rising production costs and logistical challenges have dragged down consumption figures.

7) Japan – 4,416kl has the world’s most valuable beer brand, recently becoming Japan’s best-selling beer and the official beer of Manchester City Football Club. However, the Japanese beer market is actually shrinking.

8) UK – 4,088kl for Brits to enjoy their pints. However, as the cost continues to rise, breaking the £7 barrier in London is drastically reducing consumption.

9) Vietnam – 3,845kl where tourists can get a nice pint for $1, but strangely sales of the drink have taken a hit in recent years due to pandemic-related lockdowns. Last year, a well-known company reported that sales volume in Vietnam had halved due to restrictions.

10) Spain – 3,815 thousand kl sees a population that consumes less beer than the rest of the countries on this list.