site.btaBeer Production in EU, Bulgaria Rises in 2024

In 2024, beer production across the European Union increased, with member states collectively brewing 32.7 billion litres of beer containing alcohol, along with an additional 2 billion litres of low- or non-alcoholic beer (defined as containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume). This brings the total beer output for the year to 34.7 billion litres, according to Eurostat data released on August 1 to mark International Beer Day, celebrated annually on the first Friday of August.

Bulgaria also reported an uptick in production, with 471 million litres of alcoholic beer brewed in 2024, up from 458 million litres in 2023, according to Eurostat. Data for non-alcoholic beer production in Bulgaria was not provided.

Among EU countries, Germany remained the bloc’s top beer producer for 2024, with 7.2 billion litres, accounting for 22.2% of total EU production. It was followed by: Spain – 4 billion litres (12.3%); Poland – 3.4 billion litres (10.6%); The Netherlands – 2.2 billion litres (6.8%); Belgium – 2.1 billion litres (6.3%).

When it comes to trade, the Netherlands retained its position as the EU’s leading beer exporter (alcoholic varieties), despite a year-on-year decline. In 2024, the country exported 1.5 billion litres of beer, both within and outside the EU, marking a 12% drop from 2023 levels (a decrease of 0.2 billion litres).

As for imports, France remained the EU’s largest importer of alcoholic beer in 2024, bringing in 0.8 billion litres. It was followed by Italy with over 0.7 billion litres, Spain and Germany with nearly 0.6 billion litres each, and the Netherlands with just under 0.5 billion litres.