World Cup beer sales kicking major goals

Good news for soccer fans at the World Cup; there is enough beer to go around, the Russian Brewers' Union said Thursday.

Reports of shortages of beer are isolated cases, the union told dpa.

Restaurants in the Russian capital Moscow and other venues have recorded a sharp rise in beer sales since the beginning of the World Cup.

Suppliers are struggling to keep up, said bar owner Hasan Khater, who runs the central Moscow bar Jim & Jack's, named after the popular whiskey brands Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's.

"The beer suppliers can't deliver fast enough," Khater told dpa.

"It's happening all around town. I'm going to the warehouse today for the second time."

The marketing director of the Russian subsidiary of beermaker Anheuser-Busch InBev, Konstantin Tamirov, told the Kommersant newspaper that sales have increased significantly.

The company is prepared to provide additional quantities for sale if needed, he said.

The Russian Brewers' Union hopes the tournament will provide momentum for beer sales, which have generally slumped in the country.

Last year, the market declined 5 per cent, partially because of a ban on selling cheap bottles of 1.5 litres or more, which were popular among Russians.