Irish beer taste growing in sophistication

Beer exports increased by 11% to €330 million

The latest 'Beer Image Tracker' shows increased knowledge of beer varieties

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Irish consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable of the different tastes and varieties of beers, according to research commissioned by the Brussels-based group by the Brewers of Europe, released by Drinks Ireland|Beer.

This comes as Ireland’s hospitality sector opened last week, and Irish people once again have an opportunity to go to restaurants and pubs to pair meals with an ever-increasing range of great products from Ireland’s beer sector.

The ‘Beer Image Tracker’, which was conducted by research and insights company The Reputations Institute, found that 70% of Irish diners want to see beer menus when they go out for meals, an increase of 7% from 2017. Other data shows that Irish customers want to increase their knowledge of different varieties of beer, with 58% saying they want to learn more about the appropriate pairing of beer with certain foods, compared to 45% in 2017. What’s more, 48% of Irish consumers are likely to change the beers they buy depending on the season or time of the year, an increase of 8% in two years.

According to Jonathan McDade, head of Drinks Ireland|Beer says: “Irish consumers are becoming more savvy about what they’re buying, and this report highlights the long-term market trend to increased sophistication in purchasing habits. Beer is Ireland’s favourite alcohol beverage, but it’s clear that quality and taste is being prioritised over quantity. This is exemplified in the fact that 55% of people pairs food and beer when eating out, compared to 37% when eating at home.”

“There is a huge amount of Irish-made beer products now available on the market and consumer appetites will continue to drive increased diversification,” McDade added.

The Beer Image Tracker measures insights and perceptions of beer, using 900-respondent sample. The tracker was carried out by the RepTrak Company through an online study.

Read More: beer Craft beer sales trends

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