Happy International Stout Day!

Irish consumer are today being encouraged to enjoy one of their favourite Irish stouts at home to mark International Stout Day (November 5th).

According to Drinks Ireland|Beer, which represents beer producers, 13% of all alcohol consumed in Ireland is stout. It says that beer is Ireland’s favourite drink, with stout making up 29.3% of total beer sales in 2019, illustrating its position as one of the country’s best-loved drinks. Additionally, the value of stout sales in Ireland was €796 million in 2019.

Irish stout is also known and loved across the word. In 2019, stout made up 64.3% of total beer production, up by 1.2% from 2018. Stout makes up part of Ireland’s beer exports, which increased by 8.5% in 2019, reaching €305 million.

Like other parts of the drinks industry, Covid-19 has significantly impacted the stout sector. Earlier this week, official Revenue clearance figures showed that beer sales were hit hard this year, due to the fact that the majority of beer is usually consumed in the on-trade. Between January and September, consumption fell by almost 15% compared to 2019. Looking specifically at Q3, which covers July to September, it was down by 17.2%.

In 2019, 62.7% of beer was consumed in the on-trade, with 37.3% consumed from the off-trade. This is even more significance for stout. In 2019, over 80% of stout was consumed in the on-trade.

Jonathan McDade, Head of Drinks Ireland|Beer said:

“Irish stout is world-renowned, beloved by consumers at home and abroad. While consumers won’t be able to enjoy their favourite stout in a pub, bar or restaurant today, we’re encouraging them to raise a glass at home to toast the sector. It’s been a challenging 2020 for stout producers, who will be hoping for some recovery in 2021.”