German alcohol tax hike threatens Münsterland corn distilleries

The German government plans to raise the alcohol excise tax in the 2027 budget law from €13.03 to €15.64 per litre of pure alcohol – a roughly 20% increase. The rise applies only to spirits, leaving beer and wine exempt, and is expected to raise costs across the entire production chain.

The Alliance Kulturerbe Münsterländer Kornbrennereien, representing small and medium‑sized corn distilleries in the Münsterland region, met on 4 August 2026 with North‑Rhine Westphalia Minister Karl‑Josef Laumann and Bundestag member Anja Karliczek. They warned that the higher tax would distort competition, jeopardise family‑run businesses, and threaten regional jobs and supply chains. The alliance called for a later start date, an evaluation clause on the tax’s health impact, and relief measures for SMEs. “If a tax only hits one beverage category while others are spared, it is not consistent alcohol policy but a distortion,” said spokesperson Rüdiger Sasse.