The Russian beer market is getting crushed

Reuters/STR New

Russian beer is getting crushed.

The Russian beer market plunged by an estimated 9% in the first three months of 2015 compared to the same period last year, according to a report by Russia's biggest beer brand, Baltika.

Baltika, a division of the international brewer Carlsberg, attributed the drop to "to the difficult macroeconomic situation in the region."

Furthermore, the report noted that "the possibilities of long-term growth in the region are accompanied by growing uncertainty." And on top of that, Carlsberg closed two of its Russian breweries in January 2015.

All of this is just adding more pressure to an already struggling market.

Russian beer sales has been steadily declining over the last few years following higher duties and stricter laws in 2011 (including a ban on sales of beer after 11 PM, and a decree that beer was, in fact, an alcoholic beverage).

Already last year, Russia's beer market declined by 7% when compared to the previous one, according to the Moscow Times.

On a related note, moonshine consumption in Russia is up.