Young Italians Are Abandoning Wine for Beer

Italy’s wine drinking population is aging according to the Los Angeles Times. Whereas in America, the wine drinking set continues to grow, Italy’s younger generations are turning to beer for their everyday fix. Wine sales have been steadily decreasing in the country since the economic crisis, but the drop in sales isn’t just about tightening belts; Italians over the age of 60 drink wine nearly every day at meal times. Their younger counterparts save wine for special occasions, while the average consumer’s budget for beer has increased. Perhaps younger Italians have less money to spend on wine—an inherently more expensive product—or perhaps they’re attempting to shed the identity of their parents and grandparents in favor of the ever-renewed category of craft beer. [Los Angeles Times] [Photo: Flickr/butsugiri]