Restaurants and grocery stores sold beer last year at about the same rate as in 2008. Although consumption remains the same, the quality of beer is changing. Just a couple of years ago, customers were still being enticed by cheap basic lager. Now consumers favour more of the characteristic tipple offered by microbreweries.

The success of microbreweries is apparent also in the restaurant sector. Helsinki bar owner and Restaurant Manager Ville Wäiniö says consumption of microbrewery products accounts for 70 percent of their entire sales of beers.

“There’s greater awareness of domestic microbreweries. They produce a diversity of beers equal in quality to imports from abroad," he says.

Combined sales of beers as brewed by the industry majors: Hartwall, Olvi and Sinebrychoff fell last year. At the same time, microbreweries increased their sales by 50 percent over the previous year.

Demand is growing for an industry with some 20 producers in Finland. According to figures released by the Association of Finnish Microbrewers, domestic microbreweries produced around 3 million litres of beer in 2008, rising to 4.5 million litres in 2009.

Legislation governing the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages in Finland prohibits the direct retail sale of microbrewery products. Those finding their way to store shelves or other restaurants and bars must be sold via a wholesaler.