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Whether we want to admit it or not, most of us probably consumed a few more pandemic pints and Covid cocktails in the days after we were released from lockdown than we’re used to, but it appears that thirst for alcohol has finally been quenched in Spain.

 

New figures from the Spanish Tax Agency show that beer sales fell by 2.8% in 2025, the first drop since 2020, when Covid restrictions shut bars, banned gatherings and essentially put social life on hold.

 

Consumption of other alcoholic drinks and spirits also slid, down 1.3% over the same period, with tax revenues from that category falling 3.8% to €793 million. Beer brought in €336 million in tax, down from the previous year.

 

To put that in context, it helps to look back at what happened during and after the pandemic. In 2020, when lockdown hit and hospitality closed overnight, alcohol tax revenues collapsed by 23.4% and beer by 7.8%. Then, as restrictions gradually lifted, people made up for lost time.

 

By 2022, when life had more or less returned to normal, alcohol revenues shot up by 34.5% and beer by 9.5%. After years of post-lockdown bounce-back, it seems the surge has run its course.

 

The price of a tipple definitely hasn’t helped matters. Beer got slightly more expensive in 2025, up 1.1%, although that's a fairly modest increase compared to the broader cost of living pressures households in Spain have been feeling.

 

The wider picture for Spain's special tax revenues is actually a healthy one. Total receipts from excise duties hit €23,083 million in 2025, up 4.3% on the year before, driven by other categories.

But for beer at least, the post-Covid party appears to be winding down.