Germany’s brewing sector is experiencing a significant shift in consumer preferences, with non-alcoholic beer production surging over the past decade. According to data released Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), nearly 579 million liters of alcohol-free beer were produced in 2024, valued at approximately €606 million. This represents a substantial increase of 96.1% compared to 2014, when production stood at roughly 295 million liters.
While alcohol-free beer is gaining popularity, traditional beer remains a dominant force. German breweries produced around 7.2 billion liters of alcoholic beer in 2024, with a value of approximately €6.6 billion. However, overall production of alcoholic beer has declined by 14.0% over the ten-year period, dropping from about 8.4 billion liters in 2014. This change reflects a narrowing ratio; in 2014, the production of alcoholic beer was over 28 liters for every liter of alcohol-free beer, a figure that decreased to approximately 12 liters in 2024.
The popularity of low-alcohol mixed drinks, such as Radler, is also on the rise. Production of these beverages increased from nearly 333 million liters in 2014 to around 364 million liters in 2024 – a growth of 9.3%. While this represents an increase, it pales in comparison to the dramatic growth seen in alcohol-free beer production.
