Despite the fact that Germany is famous for Oktoberfest, brewers will be left with an extra-bitter aftertaste. New figures show that sales of beer fell 2.7% in 2007, the steepest decline since 2000.
Is it because in Germany there is distaste for American brews like Budweiser? Locals refer to such suds as Spülwasser--dishwater.
The German youth are choosing cocktails and healthy juices over calorie-laden glasses of Kölsch and Weizenbock.
Germany's traditional beer drinkers, in the 40-to-60 age bracket, are also becoming more health-conscious and drinking less alcohol.
Germans who do drink beer are increasingly going for the milder brews from Bavaria, rather than the bitter, herb-heavy beer of north Germany, where Becks is brewed.
And more people are mixing their beer, half-and-half with lemonade, coke or even grapefruit juice. More of the country’s many breweries are are taking note and broadening their portfolio to include milder and alcohol-free beers.
The decline in sales has been slow but steady, with national beer sales falling between one or two percent each year. It means that since 2000, sales have dropped 5.5%. Beer consumption in 2000 stood at 141 liters (37 gallons) per person; today it's dropped to 130 (34 gallons). By comparison, Americans averaged 81.6 liters (22 gallons) per person in 2007.
