Europe | Put the blame on European punters, facing a cost of living crisis, that the Big Brewers need to turn elsewhere for growth. AB-InBev, Heineken and Carlsberg reported a hike in beer sales in their third quarter results. But they had to admit that their performance could have been even better had not European sales proved lagging.

United Kingdom | It was an expensive victory for the small artisanal gin maker Bullards. It had to spend GBP 30,000 (USD 34,000) in legal fees to fend off the energy drinks behemoth Red Bull, over claims that the word “bull” in Bullards’ name could cause confusion.

Germany | As the Augsburg brewer Riegele and the Munich brewer Paulaner could not settle their dispute over who owns the name to the popular lemonade mix Spezi, a Munich court declared on 11 October that Paulaner may also call its version Spezi and not pay royalties to Riegele.

Germany | A year ago, in October 2021, Bloomberg reported that AB-InBev was seeking a buyer for its German unit, as the world’s number one brewer sought to “prune less profitable businesses and trim debt”. The asking price: USD 1.2 billion.

The Netherlands | Heineken’s cost-cutters had their way again. After Belgium’s Affligem brewery, the Brand brewery in Wijlre is the next to be shuttered. Beer production will be shifted to Heineken’s macro breweries in Zoeterwoude and Den Bosch in 2024. 48 jobs will be lost. This was announced on 26 September.

Romania | Heineken, the number two brewer in Romania, will shutter the Constanta brewery in the second half of 2023. The plant, which once produced more than 700,000 hl beer, has been operating well below capacity for years. Production will be shifted to the three remaining breweries in the group.

Germany | It is well known that German brewers sit on too much capacity. But it still came as a shock when Radeberger announced, on 29 September, that it will shutter its Binding brewery in Frankfurt. Over the next twelve months production will be relocated to other breweries and 150 people will lose their jobs.

United Kingdom | The Old Dairy Brewery must be in bad shape financially that it had to call in the administrators. Whatever the reasons – Brexit delivered the final blow.

United Kingdom | BrewDog’s CEO was subjected to a vicious online smear campaign, which saw him scammed out of some USD 108,000 in Bitcoin by an ex-lover, The Sun, a newspaper, reported on 27 September.

Russia | After AB-InBev's decision to manufacture Leffe in Russia caused an uproar in August, the AB-InBev-Efes joint venture reacted and, on 21 September, announced it will suspend production.