Beer traces its origins back at least 5,000 years to the Middle East, where it became an integral part of early civilizations.
In ancient Sumerian and Egyptian cultures, beer was even used as a form of currency. During the Middle Ages, the introduction of hops by monks transformed the brewing process, helping to create the beer we recognize and love today.
Over the centuries, beer has become deeply woven into the cultural fabric of many societies, and it remains one of the most-consumed beverages worldwide.
As Visual Caitalist's Dorothy Neufeld shows in the graphic below, beer consumption varies considerably per capita by country, based on data from Kirin Holdings.
Below, we show the top 35 countries globally that consume the most beer per capita as of 2023:
| Ranking | Country | Per Capita Consumption Volume (L) 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | �� Czech Republic | 188.5 |
| 2 | �� Austria | 101.2 |
| 3 | �� Poland | 99.6 |
| 4 | �� Ireland | 99.3 |
| 5 | �� Lithuania | 97.6 |
| 6 | �� Spain | 95.1 |
| 7 | �� Germany | 93.3 |
| 8 | �� Estonia | 93.1 |
| 9 | �� Romania | 91.6 |
| 10 | �� Namibia | 90.8 |
| 11 | �� Croatia | 90.0 |
| 12 | �� Latvia | 86 |
| 13 | �� Slovenia | 83.9 |
| 14 | �� Gabon | 82.5 |
| 15 | �� Bulgaria | 80.4 |
| 16 | �� Slovakia | 79.9 |
| 17 | �� Panama | 79.0 |
| 18 | �� Hungary | 77.8 |
| 19 | �� Mexico | 75.9 |
| 20 | �� Bosnia- Herzegovina |
72.3 |
| 21 | �� Cambodia | 72.2 |
| 22 | �� Australia | 70.6 |
| 23 | �� Finland | 70.2 |
| 24 | �� Netherlands | 70.2 |
| 25 | �� Brazil | 69.3 |
| 26 | �� South Africa | 69.0 |
| 27 | �� United Kingdom | 67.0 |
| 28 | �� Puerto Rico | 66.7 |
| 29 | �� Portugal | 63.5 |
| 30 | �� Denmark | 62.6 |
| 31 | �� United States | 60.9 |
| 32 | �� New Zealand | 59.4 |
| 33 | �� Republic of the Congo |
59.2 |
| 34 | �� Russia | 58.3 |
| 35 | �� Norway | 58.1 |
As we can see, nine of the top 10 countries by beer consumption per capita are in Europe.
For 30 consecutive years, Czechia has held the top spot in beer consumption per capita, with the average person drinking more than one bottle of beer daily. Czechia is home to the first pilsner, a pale lager first invented in 1842 from Czech hops. Today, Pilsner Urquell is the country’s largest brewer, and is currently owned by the Asahi Breweries conglomerate based in Japan.
Following in second by a wide margin is Austria, which neighbors Czechia. Across the country, popular brands include Ottrakringer and Stiegl. Overall, there are roughly 350 breweries in the country covering a diverse array of craft and microbreweries.
Beyond the continent, Namibia stands as the top beer-drinking country in Africa, Panama ranks highest in Latin America, and Cambodia stands at number one in Asia.
By comparison, the U.S. falls at 31st globally in beer consumption per capita, equalling about a third of Czechia’s beer consumption on a per person basis. Last year, the most popular beer among U.S. Millennials was Heineken, while Guinness ranked first among Gen X and Boomers.
To learn more about this topic from a global perspective, check out this graphic on alcoholic beverage preferences by region.