Declining beer consumption may be contributing to the European
debt crisis — at least according to a study commissioned by
those who brew it. The conclusion is not as preposterous as it
might sound. Europeans are saving money by drinking at home
rather than in pubs, which is costing jobs in the hospitality
industry and depressing tax revenue, according to the study by
Ernst & Young, which was paid for by the Brewers of Europe, an
industry group. The shift to home consumption has a
disproportionate effect on unemployment, because 73 percent of
jobs associated with the European beer industry are outside
breweries. They are found instead in bars, hotels and
restaurants. ‘‘Obviously, the crisis has had an effect,’’ said
Pierre-Olivier Bergeron, secretary general of the Brewers of
Europe. Beer consumption in Europe fell 8 percent from 2008 to
2010, the period covered by the study. But employment in the
beer industry fell by 12 percent, or 260,000 jobs, the study
said. That compares with a 2 percent decline in empl