Beer is served all over the African continent in a wide range of situations and environments. In fact, you can find beer everywhere in Africa, from neighborhood markets to upscale bars.
Many African countries have finally come around to standardized their beer bottle sizes. This makes sense because in a region with so little resources, it’s important to reuse as much as possible.
Out of all the African nations, South Africa is by far the one that consumes the most beer. In fact, the average South African citizen drinks more than 90 liters of beer each and every year. That’s quite a lot of beer.
There are many African beer brands to choose from. 33 Export and Castel are the most popular beers in Cameroon,while Strela takes the lead in Cape Verde. Citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo choose Primus Beer, and Stella Lager is the local favorite in Egypt. In Ethiopia, they swear by St.George Beer, but anyone in Gambia would tell you that Julbrew is their favorite. Tusker is the most popular beer in Kenya, and Three Horses Beer is what you find most people ordering in Madagascar.
African Beer Brands
1.Strela – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Cape Verde
CERIS is a company located in the eastern part of Praia, Cape Verde. This African beer brand makes Strela, which started production as recently as 2006.
Strela has a clear, yellowish gold color, and taste like malts, grains and sugar with a slight hint of bitter. This beer has a low body and a medium-to-low level of carbonation.
2.Primus – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Democratic Republic Of The Congo
Primus is made by a small African beer brand called Bralima. Primus is the most popular beer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company is actually owned by Heineken International. Bralima has 6 breweries in the country and was founded back in 1923.
Primus smells like sweet malt and grain with a light, fruity twist. This beer has a medium-to-heavy sweetness, and somewhat of a gentle bitterness. Primus has a moderate body and an oily texture, and has almost no carbonation.
3.Stella Lager – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Egypt
Al Ahram beverage company is another local brewery that is part of the Heineken family. This African beer brand makes Stella Lager, which is the most popular beer brand in Egypt.
Stella Lager is a traditional lager that has a wonderful floral aroma along with a well-balanced sweetness provided by the malt used in its production.
4.St.George Beer – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Ethiopia
BGI Ethiopia was founded in 1922 and is the largest brewery in Ethiopia. This African beer brand makes St. George Beer, which is one of the most popular beverages sold in the country.
The company was originally owned by Belgian investors before it was sold to a German company. After that, the company was nationalized by the military. St George Beer has a faint, sweetness and malty flavor. You can also detect a hint of barely, and it has a bit of a tangy aftertaste.
5.Julbrew – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Gambia
The only brewery you will find in Gambia is Banjul Breweries Ltd. Julbrew is the most popular beer produced by this company. This African beer brand is one of the oldest companies in the country. It makes 4 different types of Julbrew beer.
Julbrew has a pale gold color along with a malty, sweet smell. This beer has hints of caramel and some bitterness. There are also some flowery overtones. Julbrew is often described as ‘clean,’ and has a medium body. This beer has a somewhat salty aftertaste.
6.Guiness – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Ghana
Guinness Ghana Breweries Group is an African beer brand owned by, you guessed it, Guinness. This company makes Star Beer which is the most popular beer in Ghana. This African beer brand has been in operation producing beer in Ghana since 1960.
This Guiness variety has a malty sweetness that has strong citrus overtones. Some people even say it tastes a bit like coffee. This beer is made with barley, so you can definitely taste a roasted flavor.
7.Tusker – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Kenya
East African Breweries makes Kenya’s most recognized beer, Tusker. This company has been brewing beer since 1922. The name of this company comes from how the founder, George Hurst, died. Hurst was killed in an elephant hunting accident so the company was named to ‘Tusker’ in memory of his favorite past time.
Tusker has a malty, sweet aroma with hints of corn and light flora. The taste of this beer is somewhat bold, and takes a real sophisticated pallet to appreciate. This beer has a light bitterness and an enjoyably spicy tingle in its aftertaste.
8.Three Horses Beer (THB) – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Madagascar
Star Breweries of Madagascar makes Three Horses Beer, or ‘THB’, which is the national beer of Madagascar. This brew has been produced since 1958 and is currently exported several countries, including France, Reunion Island, Comoros and Mayotte.
Three Horses Beer is an outstanding pilsner, that has excellent head retention. Its got a fizzy, golden foam and takes like light malts and sweet corn. When drinking this beer, there is a fresh, hoppy presence that wont leave you disappointed. THB has a solid body and a strong foundation to stand on. Its not watery and not took tick, and the carbonation is just right.
9.Phoenix Beer – Most Popular African Beer Brand In Mauritius
Phoenix Beverages is the largest African beer brand in Mauritius. The company was started in 1963, and it produces Phoenix beer, which is the first beer to be brewed on the island nation. This African beer brand has been gaining popularity all over the world, with the company seeing exports increase year over year.
Phoenix Beer has a traditional lager appearance with lots of fizz and an average head size. This beer has a nice hoppy flavor and a perfectly bitter aftertaste. Phoenix is a great beer for sunny beach weather because its refreshing and full of flavor.
33 Export And Castel – Most Popular African Beer Brands In Cameroon
Brasseries du Cameroun and Guinness Cameroon are the two major beer breweries found in Cameroon. Brasseries du Cameroun is doing a little better in the area. In fact, it has two extremely popular subsidiaries called ’33 export’ and ‘Castel’.
33 Export is a traditional, light beer that has a subtle and somewhat bitter taste. This African beer has a unique combination of ingredients that create an experience that is hard to forget.
Castle Beer is also bitter, but that is because it contains 5.2% alcohol by volume. This beer is available in 65 cl and 33 cl bottles and is exported to France.
Indigenous Beers
As you would expect, the brewing of traditional, local beer is very common in Africa’s vast, rural regions. Due to there not being any official standards for these types of beers, and a complete lack of supply chain, the types and varieties of beer available in a given area are highly dependent on local customs and whatever resources are available at the time of brewing.
Generally speaking, when it comes to these small, locally produced beers, they are usually ginger or honey based.
What Is African Beer Made Of?
That depends on where in Africa you are. In South Africa and Botswana, however, sorghum malt is often used as a crucial ingredient. Outside of those areas, maize is generally used as the primary ingredient. This recipe produces a somewhat opaque beer, which can seem unsettling to some people.
Guinness Africa Special, for example, is a beer that is made from a blend of local African herbs and spices. This beer is produced by Guinness Ghana, which is one of Africa’s top beverage makers.
Guinness is doing well in capitalizing on beer’s growing popularity across the African continent. Just to put the craze into perspective, a recent Canadian study found that Africa has the fastest growing beer market in the world, which saw a 5% increase from 2013 to 2017.
By comparison, the Asian and Latin American beer markets are growing much slower. The same study showed that the Asian beer market saw 20% less growth than the African beer market over the same time period. In the case of the Latin American beer market, it did even worse, seeing 40% less growth than the African beer market over the same period of time.
Is Beer Popular In Africa?
Yes. Beer, especially lager, is extremely popular in Africa. Because of this, beer is produced commercially in most African nations. There are certain African beer brands that are made by indigenous people.
When it comes to the African beer market, there are 4 major players. SABMiller, Heineken, Castel and Diageo. These four companies stake claim to around 90% of the market.
This trend, however, is starting to change. That’s because in Africa, as we have seen in other parts of the world, new, innovative beer brands are starting to emerge. Due to the legacy of European colonialism, beer breweries are among the oldest companies that can be found in Africa.
So, because of the fact that some African beer brands are among the longest existing brands in the region, they have become an important part of the history of many African nations.
What Beer Is From South Africa?
South Africa produces far more beer brands that can be listed in a single paragraph, but the country’s most popular beer is Castle Lager. Black Label, Amstel and Carlsberg are also popular African beers within the country.
What Is Sorghum Beer?
Sorghum is a homemade form of beer that is popular in South Africa. This is because it’s extremely easy to prepare and can even be brewed at home using sorghum malt.
What Is The Most Popular Beer In Africa?
St George Beer. This beer gets its name from the patron saint of Ethiopia, so as you would expect, it’s the country’s popular beer.
What Beer Do They Drink In Kenya?
Pilsner Lager, Tusker Malt, Guinness, Heineken, Summit Lager, White Cap, and Balozi are the most commonly consumed beers in Kenya.
Conclusion
There are too many African beer brands to list in just one article. For this reason, we chose to talk a little bit about the most popular African beer brands in their respective nations.
If you are in Cameroon, you’ll find that most locals prefer either Castel or 33 Export. Strela, on the other hand, is the most popular beer in Cape Verde. The Democratic Republic of the Congo leans towards Primus Beer, while Egypt sticks to its favorite, Stella Lager. When it comes to Ethiopia, it’s St.George Beer at the top of the list, but Julbew is the local favorite in Gambia. Kenyans prefer Tusker, and THB is the go-to choice in Madagascar.
We hope this article helped you learn a little more about African beer brands, thanks for reading!