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A new survey from the Irish Brewers Association (IBA) is casting a spotlight on current trends among Irish beer drinkers, some predictable and others totally unexpected.
Sponsored by the IBA and run on The Taste, a digital food magazine, the survey, was designed to explore drinking preferences in Ireland, including what, where and how beer consumers drink.
And here are some of the survey’s more interesting findings…
Irish Lagers Rule
In spite of growth of craft beer in Ireland, lagers remain dominant…with 45% of 1,300 respondents calling it their preferred choice. This was followed by IPAs at 22%, and stouts at 11% (which we found surprising given the stature of Guinness in Ireland).
The Demand For Low and Non-Alcohol Beer Increasing
In spite of a significant increase in the number of low or non-alcoholic beer products now available in Ireland, consumers are still asking for more.
Mirroring trends that are on the rise in the UK as well as in Europe, 57% of respondents reported that they’d like to see more availability of non-alcoholic beer products.
Informed Pairing Of Food With Beer Is On The Rise
Over half (51%) of beer drinkers say that they, either always or often, pair their food with beer when eating out according to the survey.
And with more than 100 craft breweries now operating in Ireland, there is more choice than ever, which has led to consumers demanding more beer options when dining out.
45% of respondents to the survey reported that there is not enough choice for beers in Irish restaurants.
Irish Beer Choices Vary Can Be Influenced By The Season
The rise of craft breweries in Ireland has led to an increasing number of seasonal options that Irish beer consumers are increasingly embracing….
As the Checkout reported “consumers change their beer of choice throughout the year, with 45% of beer drinkers, either always or often, changing beer preferences.
And 43% of the survey’s respondents claimed to change their preference due to seasonal factors.
