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Europe/Russia
Germany | Three months after the Herford brewery’s closure was announced, there is at least one piece of good news: The severance scheme is in place, media reported on 29 July. It came as a shock to the 220 brewery workers in Herford and Paderborn, when in early May, the Warsteiner Brewery announced that operations in Herford would terminate in August. The Paderborn brewery faces closure if no buyer is found by the end of the year.
Europe/Russia
The Netherlands | Brewers again sold less beer in the first half of the year. According to the trade association Nederlandse Brouwers (29 July), the beer sector is “under heavy pressure”. Brewers fear that the announced increase in beer excise duty, effective 1 January 2027, will exacerbate the decline.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | Pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England will be given a 20 percent cut to business rates from April 2027. The new Prime Minister Andy Burnham called it a “first step” to help the industry, the BBC reported on 23 July. The government estimates the plan will save firms around GBP 1,100 (USD 1,470) each next year.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | The first shipment of tariff-free Scotch whisky departed Manchester for Philadelphia on 25 July, after US President Donald Trump confirmed tariffs would be removed from whisky during His Majesty The King’s state visit to the US in April.
Europe/Russia
Germany | In 2025, global beer production declined slightly, with total output contracting 0.7 percent over 2024 to 1.896 billion hl, the world’s leading hop specialist BarthHaas said on 21 July. Despite varying or, in some cases, contrary trends in individual countries, beer production was down on virtually every continent. The only exception was Africa, which saw a slight increase in beer output.
Europe/Russia
Belgium | Brewers Heineken and Duvel Moortgat are said to be among the parties that have expressed an interest in buying Haacht Brewery, the Belgian newspaper De Tijd reported on 16 July. They are allegedly among a handful of companies left in the final race for the listed company.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | Pubs and brewers are being prevented from capitalising on the rising demand for non-alcoholic beer because of guidelines about which beer counts as booze-free. The current definition is an alcohol by volume content of 0.05 percent or lower. In other countries, like in Germany, the threshold is ten times higher, at 0.5 percent. The British Beer and Pub Association wants the guidelines changed to prevent consumer confusion.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | What is James Watt getting up to now? The BrewDog co-founder said on 15 July that he has made an offer to US firm Tilray to buy back the craft beer business months after its collapse under a debt pile of more than GBP 500 million (USD 670 million), leading to hundreds of job losses. At its peak, BrewDog had four breweries, about 100 bars worldwide and was said to be worth about USD 2 billion.
Europe/Russia
Denmark | The Carlsberg Group entered into an agreement with Japan’s Sapporo Breweries to form a joint venture across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, on top of a partnership in the UK, the Danish brewer announced on 6 July.
Europe/Russia
Germany | The Federal Ministry of Finance plans to raise taxes on certain alcoholic beverages by 20 percent, effective 1 January 2027. A spokesperson confirmed (2 July) that a corresponding bill has been drafted. It would affect spirits as well as sparkling wines, fortified wines, and alcopops, but not beer.
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BRAUWELT on tour
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BRAUWELT on tour
