Belgium | AB-InBev has finally entered the fray of bottle-conditioned strong blonde beers, in an effort to take on Duvel, which leads this ever-expanding segment.

Germany | For the first time in five years, global beer production has risen slightly by 0.5 percent or 9 million hl to reach 1,913 million hl, according to estimates by the Barth Report.

United Kingdom | Pressure to reopen pubs is mounting. Previous guidelines by the government say they could bounce back from 4 July 2020 “at the earliest”. A leaked blueprint by the Department for Business suggests end of June.

United Kingdom | If the government insists on its two-metre gap rule for pubs, only 30 percent of the UK’s 40,000 pubs and bars will be able to reopen after lockdown, which came into force on 20 March 2020.

Ireland | Hundreds of pubs in the Republic of Ireland could open their doors to the public at the end of June, due to a loophole in the government’s phased reopening of the economy.

Belgium | It must have been a scramble to get everything into place. The National Security Council said on 3 June 2020 that almost all businesses will be allowed to reopen on 8 June, including cafes and bars.

Czech Republic | Even as pubs have opened their doors, the mood is still gloomy in the brewing industry. Revenue in the on-premise is only 30 percent to 40 percent of 2019 levels, as not all outlets have been able to expand outdoors with beer gardens.

United Kingdom | For some reason or other, the global pandemic has turned previously sound and sober commentators into doomsters. Could they have fallen victim to weltschmerz or world weariness, induced by the extended lockdown?

United Kingdom | Carlsberg and British brewer Marston’s have announced a deal on 22 May 2020 to jointly own seven breweries, prompting comment that this is a fire sale by another name.

United Kingdom | Although Marston’s patching up with Carlsberg smacks of a fire sale, the general view is that the deal has more to do with London’s brewer Fuller’s quitting brewing, than with the current lockdown on pubs.