The growth of beer sales in Russia suffered a setback on July 20 when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a law restricting beer sales outdoors and late at night.
The law, due to take effect in 2013, restricts the sale of beer from 11 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the morning.
It also prohibits beer sales from sidewalk kiosks and at train stations. Brewers say about 30 percent of beer sales in Russia now come from such locations.
Russians still drink slightly more vodka than beer. But in recent years, beer has been slowly gaining on vodka as the alcohol drink of choice among Russians.
compiled from agency reports