DDR beer production, imports and exports 1955 - 1989

During the brief life of the DDR, beer production increased considerably. Beer export, too. Which I find somewhat more surprising.

Between 1955 and 1989, the quantity of beer produced more than doubled. Though that growth does seem to have stagnated in the 1980s. The same is true of exports, which grew rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s. Ending up - at the end of the DDR - at half a million hectolitres annually. Quite impressive. And around 2% of the beer produced.

Where was all this beer going? Luckily, I do know. At least for Radeberger. Which, as it was one of the leading export breweries, should give us a good idea of the destinations for DDR beer exports in general.

Egypt (ship supply port Port Said), Bulgaria, West Germany (West Berlin, Edeka, RPL Hamburg), Burma, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Guinea, Italy, South Yemen, Canary Islands, Cuba, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Soviet Union, Spain, Tanzania, USA, North Vietnam.
Die Brau- und Malzindustrie in Deutschland-Ost zwischen 1945 und 1989, VLB, 2016, page 150.

That's quite a mix. Some socialist countries in Europe and beyond, Western Europe, Africa nad even the USA.

You'll note that Czechoslovakia wasn't on the list of export destinations. But I'm sure it would have been on a list of import sources. The only imported beer I can remember seeing waas Czech. Mostly in the form of Pilsner Urquell. 

DDR beer production, imports and exports (1,000 hl)
Year	production	imports	exports	balance
1955	11,772	144.6
1960	13,424	88.8	129.6	40.8
1965	13,633	78.1	158.8	80.7
1970	16,642	80.4	167.7	87.3
1976		207.9	353.7	145.8
1980	23,633	204.4	400.7	196.3
1985	24,288	25.0	562.9	537.9
1987		26.0	522.1	496.1
1988		24.6	528.5	503.9
1989	24,843	34.3	538.9	504.6
Average		91.41	373.7	282.2
Source:
Die Brau- und Malzindustrie in Deutschland-Ost zwischen 1945 und 1989, VLB, 2016, pages 300 and 301.