Kazakhstani drinkers are cutting back. New figures from the Bureau of National Statistics show alcohol sales fell across three of the country's four major drink categories between January and August, with cognac hit hardest — down 41.9% — and wine sales dropping 12%. Beer slipped 5%, while vodka bucked the trend and rose 4.5%, a pattern analysts read as drinkers trading down to cheaper spirits.
The slowdown has rippled through production and imports. Domestic cognac output fell to 5.2 million litres, matching the sales decline, while cognac imports dropped 41.5%. Local producers still hold a dominant 78.5% share of that market, according to the analytical site Energyprom.kz, which reported the data on 4 November.
Wine tells a different story. Production fell 17.2%, but imports barely moved, dipping just 2.2% — which pushed foreign wine's share of the market up from 35.2% to 39%. Kazakhstanis, it seems, are still buying imported bottles even as local wine output shrinks.
Beer, the country's everyday drink of choice, saw production fall 6% to 445 million litres — notably less than domestic sales of 482.3 million litres, meaning imports had to fill the gap and grew their share from 10% to 10.4%. Beer exports also took a hit, falling 22.6%.
The underlying cause is straightforward: prices. Alcohol cost 14.8% more year on year as of September, with beer up the most at 16.9%, wine up 12.8% and vodka up 11%. Household spending on alcoholic beverages fell 4% in the first half of the year, continuing a trend that began earlier — people are simply buying less as bottles get pricier.
Why does this matter if you're not a Kazakh consumer? For travellers heading to Almaty or Astana, it's a useful signal that a glass of imported wine or a round of beers may cost noticeably more than a year ago, with bar and restaurant prices likely following the same upward curve. It also hints at what you'll find on the menu: local brands dominate shelves, so the reliable, affordable choices are domestic beer and vodka rather than imported labels.
