Beer in Iran
Encyclopedia
Beer in Iran has had a long history. The earliest known chemical evidence of beer dates to circa 3500–3100 BC from the site of Godin Tepe
in the Zagros Mountains
of western Iran
, and there is evidence of beer-drinking over a long period in the Persian empire. Since the Iranian Revolution
of 1979, production, possession or distribution of any alcoholic beverages is illegal and punishable under the Islamic law. While non-alcoholic beers are the only ones available from legal outlets, illegal alcoholic beers are smuggled into the country and consumed.
Behnoush Iran Co.
Behnoush Iran Co. is a local manufacturer holding the majority of volume sales of non-alcoholic beer. After The Revolution in 1979, the Behnoush Iran Co. changed from producing alcoholic beer to non-alcoholic beer. In 2008, it introduced a new low-calorie non-alcoholic beer, Delster Diet.
The company is also producing Holsten beer under license from Carlsberg.
Arpanoosh Co.
Another local manufacturer of non-alcoholic beer in Iran is Arpanoosh Co. The products of this company with the Istak brand are supplied in many different flavors including lemon, strawberry, pomegranate, and original malt.
Danjeh Aria Co.
Another local manufacturer of non-alcoholic beer in Iran is Danjeh Aria Co with the Hoffenberg brand.
Godin Tepe
Godin Tepe is an archaeological site in western Iran, situated in the valley of Kangavar in Kermanshah Province. Discovered in 1961, the site was excavated from 1965 to 1973 by a Canadian expedition headed by T. Cuyler Young Jr...
in the Zagros Mountains
Zagros Mountains
The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km , from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of...
of western Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and there is evidence of beer-drinking over a long period in the Persian empire. Since the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
of 1979, production, possession or distribution of any alcoholic beverages is illegal and punishable under the Islamic law. While non-alcoholic beers are the only ones available from legal outlets, illegal alcoholic beers are smuggled into the country and consumed.
Production companies
As of 2010, alcoholic beers remain illegal, yet non-alcoholic beers are well developed and established due to the active performance of the local industrial brewers.Behnoush Iran Co.
Behnoush Iran Co. is a local manufacturer holding the majority of volume sales of non-alcoholic beer. After The Revolution in 1979, the Behnoush Iran Co. changed from producing alcoholic beer to non-alcoholic beer. In 2008, it introduced a new low-calorie non-alcoholic beer, Delster Diet.
The company is also producing Holsten beer under license from Carlsberg.
Arpanoosh Co.
Another local manufacturer of non-alcoholic beer in Iran is Arpanoosh Co. The products of this company with the Istak brand are supplied in many different flavors including lemon, strawberry, pomegranate, and original malt.
Danjeh Aria Co.
Another local manufacturer of non-alcoholic beer in Iran is Danjeh Aria Co with the Hoffenberg brand.
Statistics
In 2008, the sale of non-alcoholic beers in Iran continued its high performance with double-digit growth rates in both value and volume and is expected to more than double its total volume sales between 2008 and 2013.See also
- Prohibition in the Middle East
- Alcoholic beverage in Iran