Why you NEED to have beer in Anno 1800

As it has been since Anno 1404 (or 1602, depending on how you're counting), every population tier has its own demands. 

In Anno 1800, those demands are separated in two classes: required and nice-to-haves.

Meet their demands

Demands in the required category are actually required for the population to advance to the next level. Not meeting their demands means they won't be really happy and you won't be able to advance your farmers to workers, workers to artisans and so on.

So get going those fisheries, clothing factories and both pig and grain farms, because you'll be needing them.

Demands in the nice-to-have category play a different role. Your population technically doesn't require you to fulfil them. Yes, it makes them happy. Yes, they pay you money for it. But no, they won't revolt if you don't provide them.

At least, not just because you don't meet those demands...

This much is true for things like schnapps and a pub for farmers, beer and a church for workers and rum for artisans. 

The one reason for needing beer

So now we have this clear, why do you need beer then? Quite simple.

Money.

The amount of income you generate just by providing your workers with beer, is insane. Especially in early game, when you are just starting to attract artisans or expand into the new world, beer is the way forward.

It guarantees you a massive paycheck, without having the obligation to keep their supply steady. Even dropping 20 or 50 kegs of beer at your harbour, will ensure a noticeable income increase.

In Ditchwater, just having 1000 farmers, 1000 workers and 800 artisans, beer is my main source of income. And even better: it's not even produced on the island itself!

In this game, the beer production chain is located on a different island. The golden liquid is then shipped to Ditchwater and a few other islands that have workers on them.

So get the party started!

Bonus tip!

Keeping the full chain on a single island is definitely advisable. You can just ship the end product (beer!), instead of having to lug around grain, malt or hops to an island with the breweries.

So find yourself an island with both hop and grain fertility. Failing that, maybe you can use an item to generate the fertility for you? 

A single hop-fertility-item in a trade union can supply multiple hop farms with the required fertility. Make use of it!

Another bonus tip!

Beer is the only early-game good that offers a Diplomacy bonus for expeditions. And, it provides rations on expeditions too!

Having 50 tons of it in stock is a very nice way to provide a diplomacy bonus on expeditions. 

There's an article on Which goods provide diplomacy bonus on expeditions in Anno 1800 right here on Anno.city.