Global leading countries in beer production 2023

China was the leading producer of beer in terms of production volume in 2023. In that year, around 359.08 million hectoliters of beer were brewed in China. The United States was the second leading producer of beer in that year, at 193.03 million hectoliters. 

European Beer Production

Despite having a modest level of beer production compared to China, many of the most famous and widely appreciated types of beer have their origins in Europe. For instance, Hefeweizen has its roots in Germany, India Pale Ale is said to have been created by British brewers in the 18th century, and Pilsner is named after a town in modern day Czechia. Germany leads Europe in terms of beer production, at about 85 million hectoliters in 2023.

Leading Beer Companies Worldwide

The global beer market is highly concentrated with a few companies controlling a large share of the total market. The Belgian beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev accounted for 27 percent of the global beer production in 2023. The biggest production regions for the company were in Latin America. Heineken, which is based in the Netherlands, also controls a large share of the global beer market, at 13 percent in that year.