site.btaUnion of Brewers in Bulgaria: Beer Should Bring People Together and Be Enjoyed with Pleasure and Moderation

Beer is a beverage which should bring people together and be enjoyed with pleasure and moderation, Ivana Radomirova, Executive Director of the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria, told BTA on International Beer Day. It is celebrated on the first Friday in August and this year the occasion falls on August 4. More than 200 cities in the world have celebrated International Beer Day since 2008. It was founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California, by Jesse Avshalomov.

Beer has gained popularity in Bulgaria

In the last 10-15 years, Bulgaria has started to produce a wide range of styles and types of beer, Radomirova said. Ten years ago, the portfolio was less dynamic and no more than 60 or 70 brands of beer were made locally. Now the list is dynamic and about 180 brands and types are produced every year. Today's beer lovers are quite different. They are young people with an active lifestyle, curious to try different flavours, she said.

Some facts and figures

Beer is the second most popular drink in summer after bottled water, according to the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria. This has been a steady trend in the last six or seven years, with 65% of Bulgarians saying they drink beer at least once a month, and one in two saying they drink beer once a week. The average consumption per month in summer is 12 times, Radomirova said.

Recent studies have found that beer fans' choices are dictated by the variety of flavours and styles and less so by the price, she said. The way beer is served - the glass, the head - is very important. There are different glasses for different types of beer. The number of collectors of beer memorabilia is growing.

Pils lager is a classic, it is the most popular in Bulgaria and accounts for about 95% of the market, Radomirova said.

International Beer Day in Bulgaria

Bulgaria celebrates International Beer Day with festivals at the seaside, while July 20 is the professional day of Bulgarian brewers. Beer is associated with summer, the sun and holiday cheer, Radomirova said.

Beer production in the EU

In 2022, EU countries produced almost 34.3 billion litres of beer containing alcohol and 1.6 bn litres of beer which contained less than 0.5% alcohol or had no alcohol content at all, Eurostat reported. Compared with 2021, the production of beer with alcohol in the EU increased by 7%, returning to levels closer to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when production was at 34.7 bn litters. When it comes to beer without alcohol, there was no change compared with 2021. The EU's total beer (with and without alcohol) production in 2022 was equivalent to almost 80 litres per inhabitant.