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The primary beer brewed and consumed in Chile is pale lager, though the country also has a tradition of brewing corn beer, known as chicha. Chile's beer history has a strong German influence – some of the bigger beer producers are from the country's southern lake district, a region populated by a great number of German immigrants during the 19th century. Chile also produces English ale-style craft beers while also developing its own craft beer identity.^[1]

The city of Valdivia in southern Chile is often referred as Chile's "beer capital".^[2]

History

There is long tradition of brewing a drink called chicha^[3] that might be classified as corn beer by modern standards, though is not considered as such in South America. Chicha was originally brewed with corn, influenced by the Andean cultures of northern Chile and Peru, but during colonial times apple and grape chicha started to be brewed across the country as a cheaper alternative to wine. There were at least four major alcoholic drinks during colonial times in Chile: wine, pisco-aguardiente, apple chicha and grape chicha.

Cerveceria Anwandter, Valdivia, circa 1900

Modern beer (Spanish, cerveza chilena) history in Chile began in the 19th century when European beer was first introduced in the years after Chile gained independence.^[4] With the arrival of German immigrants to southern Chile around 1850, massive beer production began. Chile's first beer brewery was established in Valdivia in 1851 by Carl Anwandter.^[5][6] The introduction of beer is credited for causing a decline in chicha production in areas that traditionally supplied Valdivia with that drink such as Máfil.^[7] By the end of the 19th century, beer was consumed all over the country. Beer consumption and culture then spread across the country from cities with high immigrant populations such as Valdivia and Valparaíso. In 1907, 20 million litres of beer were produced in Valdivia.^[8] By 1997, Chilean beer consumption reached 28 liters per year per capita.^[9] and by 2013 this had increased to 40 litres per year per capita.

Economy

Pisco, wine and rum are popular alcoholic drinks in Chile but there has been a slow increase in the sales of lager, pale ale from local microbreweries and imported pale lager. Although Chilean beer consumption is low compared to the rest of the South American region, beer is still the most consumed alcoholic beverage and takes 60% of the total market share for alcoholic drinks. Premium beers alone hold an 18% share of the total market, the highest share seen among the countries of the region.^[10] Craft beers in Chile.^[11] Part of the so-called premium sector, craft beers have gained ground in recent years,^[12] and today there are more than 300 micro-breweries in Chile. Cía Cervecerías Unidas SA, a local company, is the leading Chilean beer company, producing mainly lager beers.^[13]

Chilean beers

Escudo, an industrial low-price beer.

There are two main big industrial large-scale beer producers in Chile: Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas (CCU) and Cervecería Chile. All others are considered small producers (low volume) and/or craft producers.

See also

• Beer and breweries by region

References