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Posted Jul 11, 2011, 9:24 am

Stephanie S. Garlow GlobalPost

Here's a fun measure of economic growth: beer drinking.

Beer sales in Latin America are growing faster than expected, the world's No. 2 brewer said today.

The reason? Cheaper beer and a strengthening economy, said SABMiller, which brews Aguila, Club Colombia and Cusquena beers in the region.

Colombians imbibed 10 percent more last month alone, Reuters reported. Panama, Honduras and El Salvador also did their part to help sales.

The company's strongest markets are in Colombia and Peru. It acquired a brewery in Argentina last year, entered the Brazilian market in January and the Bolivian market three weeks ago. Brazil is the world's third largest beer market, but is dominated by Anheuser-Busch InBev.