Waitress at this year's Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich

Inbev, the world's largest beer-maker has bought Germany's Spaten Brewery; while rival, and global number three, Heineken has purchased Russia's Sobol.

Belgium-based Inbev, which makes Stella Artois, is believed to have paid 400m euros ($497m; �275m) for Spaten, which is based in Munich.

No figures are available for Heineken's takeover of Sobol, but the Dutch firm sees Russia as a key growth market.

Thirsty work

Inbev, which was formed in August when Belgium's Interbrew bought Brazilian brewer AmBev, now increases its share of the German beer market to 11%.

Spaten joins Beck's as yet another popular German beer brand now owned by Inbev.

"Based on total sales, including export volumes of Beck's, among others, Interbrew Deutschland is now the number one German brewer," Inbev said.

Heineken's purchase of Sobol comes after its recent acquisition of fellow Russian breweries Shikhan and Volga.

"It reinforces our number three position and further strengthens our distribution and sales platform in this fast growing beer market." said Heineken executive board member Jean Francois van Boxmeer.

Heineken recently said it expects the Russian beer market to grow by 7% to more than 80 million hectolitres in 2004.