Beer consumption may be declining worldwide, but the German people's drink of choice is going nowhere, a recent study by Splendid Research suggests.
More than two-thirds of all Germans between 18 and 69 drink beer; more than half of those of drinking age grab a pint at least twice a week, according to the study.
How much does beer consumption go up in Bavaria during Oktoberfest?
That might help explain why Germany is in the top 25 nations for alcohol consumption per capita, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) released earlier this year. The study noted that, on average, people consume roughly 11.4 liters (6.25 pints) annually.
Drinking demographics
For anyone who's spent a lot of time in a beer garden or pub in Germany, it will come as no surprise that men are more frequent consumers of beer, according to the Splendid Research study. Thirty percent of men reported drinking at least four days a week, whereas just 12 percent of women did.
A quarter of the people surveyed in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg drink more than four times a week – compared to just 14 percent in the northern states.
Germans are also extremely ingenious in finding ways of opening beer bottles without an opener, as this video demonstrates:
Hipsters vs Stammgasts
Craft beer may be en vogue in the US and elsewhere, but in Germany it still hasn't made the inroads that standard brewery brands have. Just 42 percent of Germans know what a craft beer is; 44 percent say, once given the definition, that they've actually drunk one.
Do you fancy handmade craft beer from small breweries? Then you are probably a younger male with higher income, the research says. Older generations in Germany prefer their favorite local brands such as Beck's, Krombacher or Erdinger.
Step inside Berlin's craft beer week in this video:
A beer for everyone
If you order a pilsner in Germany, you go with the flow: 57 percent of those surveyed prefer this brew – Germany's number one. And if you like to mix beer with soft drinks, then you are probably a passionate cyclist, too.
If you enjoy extravagant new products, maybe you are the lucky one with a net income of 4,000 euros ($4,700) a month.
If ever you're into unusual investments, some of the beers featured in this gallery – 10 of the world's strongest ones – are now collectors' items.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
Samuel Adams Utopias - 28%
Inside this ceramic bottle made to look like a copper brewing kettle is a beer aged for up to 22 years in sherry, brandy, cognac, bourbon and scotch casks. The Boston-based brewer Samuel Adams releases new batches of the strong brew every two years. With its suggested retail price of $200 (about 190 euros), this sought-after strong ale is the most expensive beer in the United States.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
BrewDog Tactical Nuclear Penguin - 32%
The Scotland-based brewery BrewDog has been setting records for years; when it was released in 2009, this was the world's strongest beer. Imperial stout is frozen, then the frozen liquids are removed to leave behind more alcohol - inspiring the name. It's to be enjoyed in small servings, just like "a fine whisky, a Frank Zappa album or a visit from a friendly yet anxious ghost," its creators say.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
Struise Black Damnation VI - Messy - 39%
De Struise Brouwers is a Belgian microbrewery. Their Black Damnation series is made from a dark Russian imperial stout beer, and among their different brews, VI - Messy is the strongest, with 39% ABV. It has never been released commercially, but connoisseurs who've tasted it at beer festivals say it still actually tastes like a real beer, compared to other very strong brews on this list.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
Schorschbräu Schorschbock 40 - 40%
Competing against BrewDog, the German brewery Schorschbräu was one of the two serious contestants in the arms race to create the world's strongest beer. It had already demonstrated its will to push the limits of beer with its Schorschbock 31%, an Eisbock stronger than any other beer available when it was released in 2008. Their 40% version was brewed at the end of 2009, beating BrewDog's Penguin.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
BrewDog Sink the Bismarck! - 41%
BrewDog released this even stronger beer a few months later, in 2010. In a clear reference to its German competitor, it was named after the Nazis' largest battleship. It is described by BrewDog as a "quadruple IPA that contains four times the hops, four times the bitterness and frozen four times." At a 100 euros ($105) a bottle, it's also at least 40 times more expensive than a conventional beer.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
BrewDog The End of History - 55%
Aiming to end the battle for the world's strongest beer with this 55% blond Belgian ale, BrewDog also added a controversial visual touch to The End of History by encasing each beer in preserved roadkill. Only 12 bottles were initially made in 2010. New editions were released for a 2016 crowdfunding campaign. Supporters who invested $20,000 in the company were rewarded with this collector's item.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
Schorschbräu Schorschbock 57 - 57%
Schorschbräu upgraded to a Schorschbock 43% in 2010 and retaliated with a yet stronger beer in 2011, the Schorschbock 57. The German brewer claims it would be impossible to reach a higher ABV without violating Germany's 500-year-old Beer Purity Law, which they apply in their creations. Only 36 bottles of this beer were initially made, each costing 200 euros (about $210).
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10 of the world's strongest beers
't Koelschip Start the Future - 60%
Dutch brewer 't Koelschip, which translates to "the refrigerated ship," has also created a few ultra-strong beers. This one was released a month after The End of History - its name, Start the Future, was an obvious reference to its predecessor. The limited batch was also reasonably priced: 35 euros a pop was a bargain compared to the 750 euros for each bottle of BrewDog's dead squirrel creations.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
Brewmeister Armageddon - 65%
Another Scottish brewery, Brewmeister, tried to claim the title of the world's strongest beer by releasing a line called Armageddon in 2012. However, lab tests demonstrated that ethanol - pure alcohol - had been added to the product. It has since been removed from Brewmeister's lineup.
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10 of the world's strongest beers
Brewmeister Snake Venom - 67.5%
In 2013, Brewmeister replaced its previous strongest beer, Armageddon, with the stomach-burning Snake Venom. One bottle is equivalent to drinking 15 shots of hard liquor. A label on the bottle recommends not exceeding 35 milliliters in one sitting. Not for purists, this beer is considered unratable by the site RateBeer as the Scottish brewer also admitted to correcting its ABV with pure alcohol.
Author: Elizabeth Grenier
jt/ct
