Who Drinks the Most Beer?

Some countries of the world are renowned for theirstands at a hefty 95.6 litres. That's the equivalent of
abilities to produce fine wines, while others are better168 pints per year.
known for their capabilities at brewing beer. WhichThat may seem like a large amount but according to
countries consume the most beer though?the latest figures, which examine the year 2005, the
Living in the UK, I often feel rather fortunate thatUK ranks only 5th in the list of the biggest beer
we have such a good supply of varied beers availableconsumers.
to us. No other country is probably as well known forSo which four countries are the real heavyweights
its pub culture.when it comes to drinking beer?
The tradition of brewing also goes back many yearsIn fourth place is our near neighbour, the Republic of
here, as it does in much of Europe. In years gone by,Ireland. With 106 litres per person, it seems that the
most large scale brewing in what is now Great BritainIrish penchance for Guinness is still strong.
would have been carried out in this country'sThe third largest consumers of beer are Austria
monasteries and abbeys.(108.9 litres). That may come as a surprise to many,
In more recent times, the influx of continental lagerswith neighbouring Germany being better known as
has changed the drinking habits of many people here.beer fans.
As the UK market has been swamped by popularIndeed, it's German drinkers who come in second
overseas brands, such as Stella Artois, Heineken andwith an average of 115.2 litres per person. With their
Fosters, there has been a lot of consolidation withinstrong brewing and drinking tradition, this might come
the brewery industry.as little surprise.
Fortunately, the resurgence in sales of real ales thatBut if Germany is in second place then who is top?
we've seen in the past ten years has also seen a lotThe answer is the country that is the home of
of new breweries appearing on the scene. Many ofBudvar, Pilsner Urquell and Staropramen.
us are now able to benefit from the presence of aWe are, of course, talking about the Czech Republic.
relatively local brewery.Average consumption stands at 164.1 litres. That's
So has this helped Britain to top the charts in termsthe equivalent of a massive 288 pints per person.
of beer drinking? If we look at the average numberWhen it comes to drinking beer, it seems that
of litres of beer consumed by someone in thisnobody can compare with the Czechs!
country within a year then we find that the figure