According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), Germany’s beer-producing and storing establishments sold 39 million hectolitres in the first half of 2025, down 6.3% year on year—the first time a six-month period has fallen below 40 million hectolitres since the series began in 1993. This marks the lowest first-half level in over three decades, with domestic consumption falling 6.1% to 32 million hectolitres and exports dropping 7.1%. The domestic decline mirrors the sharp drop seen at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Non-alcoholic beers are not counted in these figures.
Separate data published on 29 July 2025 by the Destatis highlights the continuing rise of non-alcoholic beer. In 2024, production in Germany reached around 5.75 million hectolitres, almost double the volume from a decade earlier. In the same period, output of alcoholic beer dropped to about 70 million hectolitres, down 14% from ten years ago. The ratio of alcoholic to non-alcoholic beer shifted markedly from 28:1 to 12:1. Alcohol-containing mixed beer beverages also grew modestly over the last decade, from 3.3 million hectolitres to around 3.6 million hectolitres.
German Brewers’ Federation head Holger Eichele described 2025 as “an extremely demanding year,” citing heightened geopolitical risks, exporters’ uncertainty, and cautious consumer spending amid a weak domestic economy. Exporters have also been hit by US tariffs in a key overseas market.
