Germany’s beer culture is fading as young people continue to embrace sobriety. Beer consumption has been sliding for decades, but the drop has accelerated dramatically, as now only 41% of all Germans say they drink beer, down from 48% just a year ago. The shift is hitting hardest among young people, who are more health-conscious and treat alcohol “much more consciously and sensibly” than previous generations, according to the German Brewers Association. Traditional practices like drinking a few beers on the job or gathering at bars after work are becoming rarer, and asking for soda or tea at a bar (once a faux pas) is now totally acceptable. Even Oktoberfest events have added non-alcoholic beer to every tent this year. In turn, breweries that are trying to survive are pivoting hard: some now make half their revenue from non-beer products. (NYT)
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