BERLIN (AP) -- Germans looking to drown their sorrows over skyrocketing gas and food prices are going to have to think again: beer prices are going up, too.
With rising energy costs and the increased price of hops and malt, German breweries have been spending some 8 percent more to make their products, said German Brewery Federation chief Peter Hahn on Wednesday.
That will now be passed on to the consumer, with price hikes in the range of 50 euro cents (80 U.S. cents) to 1 euro ($1.60) per case of 20 beers, Hahn said.
He added that further increases could not be ruled out, if the price of energy and raw materials continues to rise.