During the “week of artisan beer” (Monday 4th to Sunday 10th of March) a lots of meeting strictly dedicated to that great breweries will take place.
Based on the last annual report draw up by Assobirra, production and consumption of beer is stationary, in spite of the crisis and thanks to the export market. Unionbirrai specially look in the artisan side that it will became year by year stronger and important especially in the north of Italy. Based on this research, BrewPubs result a better business respect simply breweries.
Like every year AssoBirra “Beer and malt industry association” published a quality-quantity research regarding market beer situation in Italy and also regarding main consumption habit for Italian people. The document inspect primarily the industrial part and overlook artisan production. Some disclose trend are very useful to understand the general situation of beer breweries and the consumption changes.
The last annual report from Assobirra, refer mainly to 2011, show a steady for production and consumption, in spite of economic crisis. After two difficult years, growth trend reinforce from 2010. Industrial breweries and micro breweries around the Country register a +4,7% in quantity production with 13.410.000 hl, very close to 2007 production (the best year ever with 13.461.000 hl)
To drag behind the growth was mainly the export. 16,3% of the 2011 total production (2.086.000 hl) was exported with a growth of +11,6% respect 2010 (+200.000 hl). We have to remember that in 2006 export volume was one third respect 2011 with 781.000 hl. The first market for Italian beer is UK with the 60% of the export (1.250.000 hl).
Considering 6.391.000 hl of imported beer in 2011, respect 2010 also import volume rise with +1,4% and +11% respect 2006. The most request beer in Italy is German beer with 53% of the total import consumption, 3.400.000 hl.
You can download the annual report of Assobirra here http://www.assobirra.it/press/wp-content/ar2012_assobirra1.pdf
