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.
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.
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.[1]
Top 15 beer brands in Ethiopia according to RateBeer.com (as of 2017)[2]
| Rank | Name | Score | Count | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Bräu Ebony | 2.82 | 4 | Dunkel/Tmavý | |
| 2 | Garden Bräu Blondy | 2.77 | 4 | Dortmunder/Helles | |
| 3 | St George Amber Beer (Ethiopia) | 2.72 | 61 | Amber Lager/Vienna | |
| 4 | Hakim Stout | 2.72 | 193 | Foreign Stout | |
| 5 | Raya Beer | 2.69 | 5 | Pale Lager | |
| 6 | Bedele Beer | 2.60 | 22 | Pale Lager | |
| 7 | Habesha Cold Gold | 2.51 | 11 | Pale Lager | |
| 8 | Walia | 2.48 | 10 | Pale Lager | |
| 9 | Harar | 2.38 | 128 | Pale Lager | |
| 10 | Meta Premium | 2.25 | 63 | Premium Lager | |
| 11 | Bedele Special Beer | 2.24 | 65 | Pale Lager | |
| 12 | Castel Beer (Ethiopia) | 2.18 | 60 | Pale Lager | |
| 13 | Meta Beer Export Lager | 2.18 | 71 | Pale Lager | |
| 14 | St. George Beer | 2.16 | 208 | Pale Lager | |
| 15 | Dashen Beer | 2.04 | 28 | Pale Lager |
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").[3]