German Brewers Investigated For Price-Gouging Beers

Turns out, there was some truth to the allegations during last Oktoberfest that beers were just too expensive. New reports from Bloomberg show that authorities are investigating nearly a dozen German brewers, including Anheuser Busch-InBev and Carlsberg, for price gouging their products for more than two decades. 

Bloomberg reports that rumors of price gouging among Germany's brewing companies have been swirling around for a while. Previously it was thought that price gouging occured only between 2006 to 2008, but now, authorities say that it was the "the tip of the iceberg." The allegations, now seen in a 100-page report from the Federal Cartel Office, state that the big brewing companies regularly discussed fixing  — and raising — prices by phone, and then passed along the information to smaller breweries. The charges come against the major brewing companies, including Bitburger, the official sponsoring brewer of the German soccer league. 

Bloomberg and Slate also share just how saddened the brewing industry in Germany has become; there's even a word for it now — brauereisterben, for "brewery death." Come on, this from the country that gave us beer gardens and Oktoberfest? We can do better!