Beer is an ancient beverage. The earliest mention of beer in the historical record comes from a 4000-year-old Sumerian poem written to honor their god of brewing. This poem contains the oldest known recipe for beer. The drink continued to be popular throughout ancient Rome, the middle ages, into the enlightenment period and, of course, is still popular today.
Needless to say, beer is a staple of human social life. It is enjoyed by nearly all cultures around the world. Some countries have developed more advanced beer brewing techniques than others throughout the years. Here we will look at the top 7 beer producing countries in the world.
7. Spain: Spain is the oldest beer-producing country in Europe and is now producing over 3 million kiloliters of beer per year. Craft beer has increased greatly in popularity over the last decade.
6. United Kingdom: When people think of Britain one of the images that come to mind is that of a classic British pub. People in the UK love their beer, and the country produces 4.2 million kiloliters of beer every year. The UK is the fifth-largest beer exporter in the world.
5. Mexico: Anyone who has visited Mexico knows how alive and well its beer culture is. Mexico also has one of the most recognized beer brands in the world; Corona. The country produces just over eight million kiloliters of beer every year.
Although the indigenous people of Mexico drank fermented beverages that contained alcohol, the country did not begin brewing European style beer until the Spanish arrived on its shores in the 1500s. Mexican beer culture and production got a boost in the 1850s when a large number of German immigrants moved to the country.
Although only two companies produce beer in Mexico it still exports 16.5% of the world’s beer supply.
4. Russia: Most people think of Vodka when they think of Russian alcoholic beverages and, while Vodka is the country’s most popular drink, the average Russian drinks 74 liters of beer every year.
The country produces just under 9 million kiloliters of beer per year and is one of the world’s largest exporters. The country has over 100 large breweries, the largest one being Carlsberg group. Ronald B. Bailey, a travel blogger at Bigassignments and Oxessays, comments that “Russia has developed a vibrant microbrewery community over the last decade. As economic conditions have improved in Russia so too has the beer culture”.
3. Germany: The world over is familiar with Germany’s reputation for being master beer makers. Beer has a special place in German culture and many countries, such as Mexico and those in South America, have benefited greatly from German immigration in the 1800s.
The country produces nearly 10 million kiloliters of beer every year, making them the world’s third-largest beer producer. Germany is also the world’s fourth-largest beer exporter, exporting roughly 10% of the world’s beer supply.
Many German brands have become household names, being sold all around the world. The country’s beer-making culture began in the middle ages when monks began brewing the drink in abbeys.
2. United States: Beer is a large part of American social culture. The country produces much more beer than all the countries we have looked at so far, coming in at 22.5 million kiloliters per year. Most of the beer produced is consumed within the country; despite producing so much beer it is only the world’s 6th largest exporter of beer.
In the mid-2000s, a craft beer culture started to take off. Today craft beer is very popular in the United States, with its epicenter being in the northwest. Cities like Portland and Seattle are known worldwide for their microbreweries and craft beer. Roughly 85% of all alcohol consumed in the USA is beer.
1 China: In 2002 China became the world’s largest beer market. With over a billion beer drinkers in China, it is no surprise that the country produces more beer than any other nation- 47 million kiloliters of beer every year. Chinese brands are seen around the world and its Snow Beer is the most purchased beer in the world. Theo Robinson, a lifestyle writer at Stateofwriting and Eliteassignmenthelp opined “even though Budweiser calls itself the King of Beer the title actually belongs to the Chinese Snow Beer brand. In fact, Chinese beers hold the title for the first, second, and sixth most popular beer in the world”.
Special thanks to Molly Crockett for this Great Beer Now guest post! Molly Crockett is a travel and lifestyle blogger currently writing at Paperfellows and Academized. She has written extensively in the field of personal development. In her spare time she maintains a blog AustralianHelp, an online writing service.
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