Germany’s beer sector suffers from ‘second crisis’ due to gas shortage – franceinfo

World Beer Day, held on August 5, was not as festive as it had been in previous years. In this period of the energy crisis, the industrial and food sectors, which are the most gas consuming, risk significantly slowing down their production.

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The German government has instructed the Federal Energy Network Agency to classify the sectors of activity, which in the event of a shortage of gas supply, will be served with priority according to their importance to the country’s economy. With beer being an establishment in Germany, breweries don’t want to be forgotten off the menu, like Ulrich Biene, spokesperson for the Veltins brand.

“We need to know if we can access the gas we need during the brewing process, which is the first step in making beer, so that supermarket shelves don’t suddenly empty.”

Ulrich Bienny, spokesperson for the brand Feltens

in franceinfo

“We left behind the worst crisis with months of confinement during the pandemiche explains. The brewing industry, and us in particular, is slipping from the first crisis into the second.”

Beer consumption is rising again in Germany, with a 6.5% increase over the first six months of the year, much to the delight of Helmut Kurchat, a large bald man who runs the Südstern micro-brewery in Berlin. “Beer will not disappear from the market!” , Confirms. But he also regrets the high prices of all the basic raw materials in his trade, such as grain and energy, which also affects the cost of transportation. “It’s going to be more expensive and we’ll have to pass on the increases to customers, we don’t have a choice.”he argues.

A year ago, a glass of blond beer with a volume of 40 cl was 3 euros, 60 and today it is 4 euros.

Helmut Korsat, owner of a small brewery

in franceinfo

This shortage, on the glass in particular, invites consumers to immediately return empty beer to the deposit, after drinking it … in moderation, of course.