EU countries brewed around 35 billion liters of beer in 2024
Brussels – In 2024, EU countries produced 32.7 billion liters of alcoholic and 2 billion liters of non-alcoholic beer, totaling 34.7 billion liters. The production of beer with less than 0.5 percent alcohol content increased significantly compared to the previous year by 11.1 percent, more than the production of alcoholic beer, which saw an increase of 0.6 percent. Eurostat publishes these figures on International Beer Day, traditionally celebrated on the first Friday in August.
The list of the largest EU beer producers remained the same in 2024. Germany brewed the most alcoholic beer again, producing 7.2 billion liters (and 578 million liters without alcohol); this accounts for more than one-fifth of the total EU quantity of alcoholic beer. Following Germany were Spain with 4.0 billion liters (12.3 percent of total EU production), Poland with 3.4 billion liters (10.6 percent), the Netherlands with 2.2 billion liters (6.8 percent), and Belgium with 2.1 billion liters (6.3 percent). Austria ranks in the top ten with 787 million liters of alcoholic and 33 million liters of non-alcoholic beer.
Netherlands remains the largest exporter
The Netherlands also remained the largest exporter of alcoholic hop and malt brew in 2024, but had to accept a decline of 12 percent compared to 2023: A total of 1.5 billion liters of Dutch alcoholic beer was consumed within and outside the EU in the previous year. This is about one-fifth of the total beer exports of EU countries, but 0.2 billion liters less than in 2023. Following the Netherlands were Germany and Belgium (both exported a stable 1.4 billion liters).
France imported the most alcoholic beer with 0.8 billion liters. Other major importers included Italy with more than 0.7 billion liters, as well as Spain and Germany with nearly 0.6 billion liters each, and the Netherlands with just under 0.5 billion liters. (06.08.2025)
