Christmas beers have taken over supermarket shelves, like here in Illkirch-Graffenstaden.

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T. Gagnepain

  • Like many industries, brewers are worried.

    During this winter period, they had to sell their Christmas beer.

    Except that the bars and restaurants are closed ...

  • In the meantime, the brewers have put millions of hectoliters in barrels.

  • What are they going to do with it?

    As after the first confinement, they could be forced to throw away precious liquid.

Gift boxes have taken over the shelves.

It's in season, the traditional Christmas beer has arrived in stores everywhere.

Except where it is consumed the most.

During the demonstrations and especially in bars and restaurants, the curtains of which were drawn with confinement.

"For us, these cancellations and closures are a real disaster", summarizes Edouard Haag, director of Meteor, in the Bas-Rhin.

Its brewery released this year 10,000 hectoliters of this drink, which is spicier than a classic pilsner.

Or a fiftieth of the annual production.

“Put it like that, it doesn't seem like a lot, but Christmas beer is an important time of the year for all producers, especially in months when we drink less beer,” insists the manager.

Last year, 12 million liters were sold in France.

“Often packaged in barrels for cafes and restaurants,” recalls the Brasseurs de France union, worried about the situation of its members.

It is in this sense that its president, Matthias Fekl, challenged the Prime Minister last week.

“The industry also wants the government to organize an emergency crisis meeting over the Christmas period to see how to help brewers and other sectors hit hard,” he wrote in a statement.

"We can't see the end"

“The period is really complicated.

We have already succeeded in passing the first confinement with State loans and by drawing on reserves, but here it is worse.

We do not see the end of this new stop ”, reacts Eric Trossat, president of Brasseurs d'Alsace, the region which produces the most beer in France, ie 45% of the 22 million hectoliters annually.

The one who launched the Uberach brand in 1999 is not currently the most affected.

The reason is simple: “I don't have a big presence in coffee shops, it only represents 10% of my volumes.

But for some, it can range from 30% to 50%… ”It comes back to Meteor, even if the Hochfelden company had somewhat anticipated the disaster to come.

“Usually, on our Christmas beer, we put 3,000 of our 10,000 hectoliters in barrels.

There, we had fewer orders from our distributors so we put “only” 1,500 hectoliters, continues Edouard Haag.

Despite everything, this is not negligible, you have to manage to sell them quickly enough because no one usually drinks them after Christmas.

"

Towards consumer “solidarity”?

How? 'Or' What ?

By bottling beer from 30 liter kegs?

"It is not possible, we cannot guarantee for this type of operation", replies Eric Trossat, who also rules out the possibility of releasing the 2020 vintage in 2021. "Its typicality will fade, it will no longer be the same product.

"

No, Edouard Haag is already calling for a certain “solidarity” on the part of consumers.

“It's going to become a winter beer, not Christmas beer, but I hope people will help us out when it is possible again.

" If not ?

Further destruction of the precious liquid could take place.

After the first confinement, 10 million liters had to be thrown away for lack of outlets.

"I'm afraid that all the brewers have too much to sell in January…", concludes Eric Trossat.

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