Suprise: Russians like beer, too

October 14, 2002

Beer Toppling Vodka's Reign. Beer is becoming more popular in Russia, and could threaten to change the ubiquity of vodka as a central part of Russian culture.

Vodka consumption has fallen somewhat, but not at the rate that beer consumption has risen. To many Russians, beer is seen as nothing more than a soft drink; teenagers regularly walk down streets or in and out of subway stations in the middle of the day, bottle in hand.

1999: BBC: Beer is the new vodka in Russia
1999: CNN: Russia's beer market ready to be tapped
2002: BBC: Russian vodka faces flood of beer
2002: The Russia Journal: Russia’s alternative to beer is vodka, not health

Google also led me to Russian Beer Market - June 2001 from the British Embassy in Moscow