Beer in Ethiopia facts for kids
Beer is a very popular drink for adults in Ethiopia. The most common type of beer there is called lager. But in the countryside, many people still make their own traditional drinks at home, like talla or siwa.
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How Beer Making Started in Ethiopia
The very first place to make beer in Ethiopia was set up in 1922. It was called St. George Beer, named after Saint George, who is an important saint in Ethiopia. Other older beer brands, like Meta and Bedele, have also been around for a long time. Over the years, some of these older brands were bought by companies from other countries and given new names.
The Beer Business in Ethiopia
The business of making beer in Ethiopia has grown a lot in the last 20 years. It has become one of the most active and competitive industries in the country. Companies spend huge amounts of Ethiopian birr (Ethiopian money) on advertisements to promote their brands. Because there is so much competition, companies have also invested more in farming. For example, they support the growing of malt, which is a key ingredient for making beer.
Popular Beer Brands
There are many different beer brands available in Ethiopia. Some of the well-known ones include:
- 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
Traditional vs. Factory-Made Beers
As people's lives improve in rural areas, some who become wealthier start to choose factory-made lager beer instead of their traditional home-brewed beer. Beer companies have noticed this change. They have even created special brands just for farmers, like Balageru (which means "the rural people") and Azmera (which means "good cropping season").
