Germany | The covid-19 pandemic will have a massive impact on the German brewing industry. According to an industry survey, conducted by the German Brewers Association (DBB), beer sales dropped 16 percent in the first half of 2020, while turnover declined 18 percent over the same period last year.

Germany | Publicans tend to regard the end of summer with a certain wistfulness. But the idea of a cold and wet autumn under coronavirus restrictions is a real horror scenario for them. Is this the moment of the patio heater?

Germany | How bizarre: Because its lemonade contains less than the prescribed amount of sugar, the Hamburg manufacturer Lemonaid has already received two cease and desist warnings. It is now calling for new guidelines for these products.

Germany | Munich’s publicans weren’t amused when the TV mini-series “Oktoberfest 1900” was aired in September to coincide with the 2020 Oktoberfest, sadly cancelled due to the pandemic. Their – fictional – predecessors in this epic historical crime drama are two-faced sleazebags, switching from suave burghers to bloodthirsty thugs in their battles to control the Oktoberfest.

France | The covid-19 pandemic forces brewers to get more creative. Long a feature of US supermarkets, Heineken has finally latched onto the concept in Europe. The brewer is running a trial for draught beer dispensers and returnable growlers in a supermarket in Paris.

Switzerland | With bars and restaurants closed during the coronavirus lockdown, Swiss brewers lost about 70 percent of their draught beer sales in the first half of 2020. As the on-premise represents about 40 percent of total beer sales and constitutes brewers’ major money-spinner, the loss must have been more than just painful.

Germany | Because of the coronavirus pandemic, beer festivals around the world have been cancelled, preventing punters from rendezvousing with their favourite breweries. One of the world’s largest beer festivals, the Munich Oktoberfest, will not take place this year either. Usually attracting millions of visitors, while serving around 60,000 hl beer, it was called off in April.

United Kingdom | The government has said it would close its covid-19 support programme for businesses and employees at the end of October 2020. It would be among the first European countries to do so.

United Kingdom | Guess what, the government’s scheme “Eat out to Help out“ for the ailing hospitality industry has proven more popular than expected. Under the scheme, more than 100 million meals were ordered in August, costing the taxpayer around GBP 520 million (USD 690 million).

United Kingdom | Craft brewer Beavertown hopes that this year’s sales will come in at least flat on last year’s levels. In its 2019/20 financial year, it grew sales nearly 80 percent to around GBP 35 million (USD 47 million), The Telegraph newspaper reports.