Despite producing 8.4 billion liters of beer annually, Germany has dropped out of the world’s top five beer-producing countries, according to the latest industry report by BarthHaas, the world’s largest hop supplier based in Nuremberg. Russia’s rise in beer production has pushed Germany down the rankings, ending its reign as Europe’s beer production champion — a title it had held since 2013.

The report reveals that Russia increased its beer output by around 9% to 9.1 billion liters in 2024, while Germany saw a slight decline of 1%, producing 8.4 billion liters. Five years ago, Germany still held a significant lead over Russia of approximately 1.4 billion liters, but this advantage steadily diminished over time.

At the global level, China remains the undisputed leader, producing over 34 billion liters of beer annually, followed by the United States with roughly 18 billion liters. Both countries experienced a decrease of around 5% in production last year. Brazil and Mexico also outpaced Germany and Russia, with 14.7 and 14.5 billion liters respectively. Worldwide beer production dipped slightly to 187.5 billion liters in 2024.

Germany’s beer industry remains highly fragmented, with the largest domestic player, the Radeberger Group, ranked only 23rd worldwide. Many small breweries face rising costs and struggle to compete. Additionally, Germany has seen a long-term decline in beer consumption, a trend that challenges growth prospects for the sector.

Still, Germany’s position is relatively stable for now. It maintains a comfortable lead over Japan, the seventh-largest producer, with nearly 4 billion liters more beer produced annually. While a further slide in the rankings seems unlikely in the short term, Germany’s loss of the European top spot marks a significant shift in the global beer landscape.