In Switzerland, more beer is drunk – only domestic

They are part of the big winners of the hot summer: the Swiss beer brewers. During the 2017/18 brewing year, they were able to increase production by 3.9%. "Especially in the months of April, May and July were significantly more drunk than the other years," says Marcel Kreber (49), director of the Swiss Brewery Association. The World Cup has triggered the paragraph once again.

For the first time since 2014, the Swiss have been drinking more than the year before. 55 liters per capita, in 2017, it was still 54 liters. The 1990/91 domestic pickers looked much deeper into the beer glass. At that time, an average of 71 liters of fresh barley juice flowed down the thirsty throat.

The overall beer market grew by 1.8% in the last brew year – traditionally from 1 October to 30 September – at around 4.70 million hectoliters. This means that foreign suppliers have lost a lot of ground. At 1.14 hectoliters, 4.6% less foreign beer was imported. Swiss breweries increased their market share to 77% (+ 2%).

For the fourth consecutive time, imports are down. "It's gratifying," Association President Markus Zemp told reporters in Zurich. "The diversity of beer has continued to increase. Regional products are becoming increasingly important. Above all, we are addressing a young clientele, "he says.

But why are foreign brewers losing more and more market share? "At the end, you can buy a belgian specialty beer," says Marcel Kreber. "At home in front of the television but then with a cheap beer from local breweries." By far the most popular is the good old lager. Specialty beers have a market share of 18%.

Due to weather conditions, malting barley is currently rare in Europe. The prices of the elemental ingredient of beer are rising. Swiss brewers are lucky. "We buy our barley in southern Germany and France," says Kreber. There was no damage there, farmers withdrew their normal crops. "So we are not paying for barley anymore, so beer prices should remain the same," Kreber said of the outlook for the current year.

But the brewers are not completely carefree. "We are suffering from a shortage of skilled workers," said Markus Zemp. The problem is the small number of master brewers. 200 professionals are currently working in Switzerland. A third of them from Germany.

If brewery brewing continues, breweries are scarce. At present, exactly 1017 breweries have registered their exchanges with the Swiss Customs Administration. "We need more brewers, we want to train more apprentices." Ten apprentices receive their master brewer diploma every year.