Explore the Top Beer Producing Countries
Even though people from around the world enjoy drinking beer, not all countries produce it. From extreme religious influences to poor economic infrastructure, there are plenty of hurdles when producing quality beer. Instead of relying on foreign companies to set up systems, most countries have taken beer production into their own hands. While being independent is admirable, it comes with its fair share of pitfalls. Not every country was built to mass produce beer, and this disparity is highlighted when examining the industry’s biggest players.
Despite producing beer for thousands of years, no European nation is within the top three beer producers. This doesn’t mean Europe isn’t filled with breweries, but it showcases how other nations took the industry to new heights. Instead of being satisfied with mom and pop production, these countries created their own bonanzas.
When their massive populations demanded access to quality beer, they created the perfect formula. From international advertising to epic distribution, these nations were able to revolutionize the beer industry. To showcase this new trend, we compiled a list of the top beer producing countries in the world. Some of these entries may be surprising, since their brands routinely fall under the international radar. Discover the ins and outs of their success with this eye opening article!
Top Beer Producing Countries in the World
Country #3: Brazil – Even though this country routinely flies under the radar, Brazil is a beer producing powerhouse. South America is a mecca for beer production, and Brazil’s booming economy can’t get enough. Thanks to the arrival of German immigrants in the 1800’s, Brazil is infatuated with producing quality beer. The number of craft breweries in Brazil exceeded 700 in 2017, and is set to grow by 40% in 2018. They currently produce 14,000,000 metric tons of beer a year, and this staggering figure is only increasing.
The potential for expansion in Brazil hasn’t gone unnoticed by international powerhouses. During the last few years, a series of powerful acquisitions have solidified Brazil’s place as a top beer producer. In 2015, industry titan AB InBev purchased Cervejaria Colorado and Cervejaria Wals. Not to be outdone, Heineken purchased popular Brazilian craft beers Baden Baden and Eisenbahn. With international interest peaked, Brazil’s booming beer industry is set to reach new heights.
Country #2: United States – The USA may be the sixth largest beer exporter in the world, but their production is a force to be reckoned with. Aside from international icons such as Budweiser and Coors Light, this country is home to a staggering amount of breweries. Today over 3,000 breweries pump out 22,600,000 tons of beer annually. Over 85% of the alcohol consumed in America is beer, so they have plenty of customers to cater to. Their craft beer revolution is in full swing, which means every year clients have more brands to choose from.
Country #1: China – With over 1 billion customers to satisfy, it’s no surprise that China has taken the lead. Ever since 2002, China has beaten America in beer production. Today they produce 49,219,000 metric tons of beer, which is over double what’s produced in the USA. On top of dominating their own market, Chinese beers have made aggressive expansions internationally. The most popular beer in the world is China’s Snow beer, while the second and sixth spots are also Chinese brands. While there’s room to debate which country is most powerful, there’s no arguing that China is the king of beer.
