Matthias Schrader / AP

Whether soccer fans are drowning their sorrows or celebrating with a few cold ones, it appears that Russia is struggling with the demand for beer – and we’re not even half way through the World Cup.

According to a report by ESPN, a number of bars and restaurants around Moscow have sold out of beer while deliveries around the country are delayed. Sales across the country had plummeted in recent years due to higher taxes and strict regulations meaning the country was obviously not prepared for the sudden spike in sales from tourists.

“We just didn’t think they would only want beer,” said one waiter at a upscale eatery in central Moscow. “There are really a lot of people in Moscow … and they are all drinking,” he said. “It’s hot, and it’s football.”

According to a bartender, fans had drunken almost 800 litres of beer within three days, with taps running dry before matches had even begun.

Deliveries are taking up to 24 hours as suppliers are also running low, but supply shortages don’t appear to be affecting business.