On 21 July 2011 brewer SABMiller reported a rise in first-quarter beer volumes, thanks to continued growth in emerging markets, but kept media guessing if it will top up its bid for Australia’s Fosters.

While Russians were out shopping for a bottle of vodka, Russia’s Parliament voted in a law which could change alcohol consumption quite dramatically. On 13 July 2011 the Russian Duma passed a tough anti-alcohol law which not only prevents the sale of beer at kiosks as of 2013, but also prohibits off-premise sales of beer during the night (between 11pm and 8 am) and alcohol advertising in general. For the first time, fines for drinking beer in various public places were introduced.

This autumn, the UK’s number one brewer Molson Coors will be launching three new "bloat-resistant" beers marketed to women. This will be good news for women who would like to drink beer without having to throw away a full wardrobe of size 8 clothes after a night on the town.

Not bad. Despite the German beer market declining 2 percent in 2010, Brau Holding International (BHI), the joint venture between Heineken and Germany’s Schörghuber Group which owns Paulaner brewery, managed to raise turnover and volumes. Sales were up 1.4 percent to EUR 576 million while output increased 2 percent year-on-year, it was reported.

It’s been hard for Belgians to stomach the fact that the CEO of their major concern, AB-InBev, has not deemed it a top priority to explain himself to their media. Maybe he even considered public opinion in Belgium irrelevant. After all, what’s Belgium to AB-InBev? 1.5 percent of the brewer’s total global volume. It’s taken him five years at the helm before Carlos Brito, on 7 July 2011 gave his first interview in Belgium: to the business publication Trends.

The late payment Hall of Shame is getting rather crowded. Governments and businesses across Europe are increasingly using underhand methods to delay or avoid paying their bills, Reuters reported at the end of June 2011.

After its plans to move the Dublin brewery to a greenfield site had fallen through following the collapse of real estate prices, Diageo, the parent of Guinness had to think anew. On 5 July 2011 Irish media reported that Diageo is in talks with Dublin City Council with a view to redeveloping part of its historic St James’s Gate brewery site.

Contrary to popular perception that the German beer market is dominated by domestic brands, imported beers have gradually made their presence felt. Beer imports have more than doubled over the past eight years from 3.3 million hl in 2008 to 6.9 million hl in 2010. That’s 8 percent of total beer consumption.

... next the ban on alcohol advertising? Even without a government, Belgium seems to get things done. On 1 July 2011 a ban on smoking in cafés was introduced following a ruling by Belgium’s Constitutional Court.

Carlsberg issued neither an affirmation nor a denial. Since Carlsberg had never officially put its German unit on the block, the Danish did not have to publish a statement that the much talked about sale of Holsten to Germany’s number one brewing group had been called off.