FRANKFURT - Beer consumption in Germany, which has been steadily declining over the last decade, was marginally lower again last year, official data showed on Monday.

The federal statistics office Destatis calculated that German breweries sold a total 98.2 million hectolitres of beer in 2011, 0.1 percent less than in 2010.

Domestic beer sales were down 0.8 percent at 82.7 million hectolitres, while beer exports increased by 4.0 percent to 15.5 million hectolitres, Destatis said in a statement.

Just over a decade ago, in 2000, overall beer sales amounted to 109.8 million hectolitres and domestic beer sales to 98.8 million hectolitres, while beer exports stood at 11.0 million hectolitres.