Vienna  - Austria overtook Germany as a beer-drinking nation in 2008 and is now second only to the Czech Republic, the Austrian brewery association revealed on Monday.

Austrians downed 8.6 million hectolitres of beer in 2008, or 109.3 litres per person. Germany fell behind as its consumption per head dropped slightly to 108 litres, while the Czechs are expected to have comfortably defended their top position.

Every Czech drank 159 litres of beer in 2007, according to the latest available figures.

While 2 per cent more of the beverage flowed from Austrian taps in 2008, volumes in traditional beer-drinking countries like Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands fell, the brewery association said.

The association's chairman Markus Liebl said: "Because of the trend in costs and the strained global economic situation, we look forward to 2009 with mixed feelings." dpa