Belgium’s economy minister has asked the country’s competition authorities to investigate the announced price hikes of beer producers Anheuser-Busch InBev and Heineken’s Alken Maes. Read the rest of this entry »

Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered officials to draw up plans to set a minimum price for alcohol to discourage excessive drinking, a British newspaper reported on Wednesday, although the government said no decision has been taken. Read the rest of this entry »

After two centuries of consolidation and closing down of small breweries, a counter-revolution is under way. Fed up with the lack of variety and the control of large brewing holdings over their favorite drinks, beer lovers have taken their beverage back into their own hands. All over the world, new beers and breweries are emerging every day. What started as the micro-brewery movement in the USA has spread to other countries and created a remarkable turnaround in convention. For instance, in Belgium – famed for its influential beer culture – when consolidation threatened the availability of beer varieties, the fastest growing segment in the beer market is now beers brewed by monasteries and ‘abbey-style’ beers. Read the rest of this entry »