Beer in Ethiopia

Beer is the most popular industrial alcoholic beverage in Ethiopia with lager being the most consumed type of beer. In the rural sector, the home-brew tella or siwa is still dominant.

History
The first brewery in Ethiopia was established in 1922 by St. George Beer (named after the patron saint of Ethiopia). Brands like Meta and Bedele are also older in Ethiopia but have since been acquired by foreign companies and re-branded.

Industry
Ethiopia's beer industry has grown tremendously in the last two decades. It transformed into one of the most competitive industries in Ethiopia, with millions of birr spent on advertisements alone. The industry's competitiveness has led to more investment in farming, such as in malt production.

Top 15 beer brands in Ethiopia according to RateBeer.com (as of 2017)

Brands

 * Meta (ሜታ ቢራ)
 * Bedele (በደሌ ቢራ)
 * Dashen (ዳሽን ቢራ)
 * Jano (ጃኖ)
 * Habesha (ሐበሻ ቢራ)
 * Harar (ሐረር ቢራ)
 * Walia (ዋልያ ቢራ)
 * Raya (ራያ ቢራ)
 * Balageru
 * Azmera
 * St. George Beer (ቅዱስ ጊዮርጊስ ቢራ)
 * St. George Amber
 * Zebedar Beer
 * Heineken
 * Castel
 * Hakim Stout
 * Garden Bräu Ebony
 * Garden Bräu Blondy
 * Anbessa

Competition with home-brewed beers
As living standards increase, the more affluent segment of rural society frequently shifts from home-brewed beer to lager beer. Industrial breweries have seen this emerging market and prepared specific brands targeted at farmers: Balageru (meaning: the rural people) and Azmera beers (meaning: "good cropping season").