Jeffrey Dahmer's Beer Consumption: An Investigation

Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, was an American serial killer and sex offender who killed and dismembered 17 males between 1978 and 1991. Dahmer's crimes were fuelled by his alcoholism, with sources stating that he began drinking at the young age of 13 and was often drunk during class. While there is no definitive answer as to how much beer Dahmer drank, sources indicate that he was a heavy binge drinker, consuming up to 24 cans of beer on the weekends. He was known to drink Budweiser, Miller, and Pabst, and would also drink hard liquor. Dahmer's alcohol abuse contributed to his decline in school performance and his eventual drop-out from Ohio State University. His drinking habit also followed him into the U.S. Army, where he was occasionally reprimanded for intoxication.

Jeffrey Dahmer's alcohol consumption in high school

Dahmer's drinking negatively impacted his performance as a student, and his parents even hired a private tutor in an attempt to bolster his grades. However, staff at his school still regarded him as a polite and highly intelligent student, and he was well-liked by his peers, who remembered him as a class clown who often staged pranks. Dahmer's drinking also led to disciplinary issues; he was expelled from Ohio State University due to his persistent alcohol abuse and was occasionally reprimanded for intoxication while serving in the US Army.

Dahmer's alcohol consumption was a way to cope with his confused and ashamed state of mind, brought on by his homosexuality and his twisted sexual fantasies, which he knew were not "normal".

His preference for beer and light alcohol

Jeffrey Dahmer's preference for beer and light alcohol began when he was just 13 years old. He would smuggle beer, wine, and hard liquor into school, storing bottles in his locker. By the time he was in high school, he was drinking throughout the day, and his classmates recalled his habit of drinking before lectures. His drinking negatively impacted his grades, and his parents even hired a private tutor in an attempt to improve his performance. Despite his young age, Dahmer was a functional alcoholic, and his drinking increased as he grew older.

While there is no definitive answer regarding Dahmer's beer brand of choice, those who knew him claimed that he mostly drank beer and light alcohol. Some sources suggest that he favoured Budweiser, Miller, and Pabst. In the Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, the titular character, played by Evan Peters, is frequently seen drinking Budweiser, leading some to believe that this was Dahmer's preferred brand. However, it is important to note that this may have been a product placement decision rather than an accurate representation of Dahmer's drinking habits.

Dahmer's drinking was a significant factor in his descent into serial killing. He would lure his victims, often young Black men, with the promise of alcohol and money. Once they were at his home, he would drug them and carry out his horrific crimes. Dahmer's alcoholism, combined with other factors such as psychotic episodes and lack of sleep, contributed to his murderous impulses and the escalation of his depravity.

The role of alcohol in Dahmer's first murder

Alcohol played a significant role in Jeffrey Dahmer's first murder and, indeed, his subsequent murders.

Dahmer's first murder took place in 1978, just three weeks after his high school graduation. Dahmer lured 18-year-old Steven Hicks to his house on the pretext of drinking alcohol together. After several hours, Hicks wanted to leave, but Dahmer, desperate for company, attacked him with a dumbbell and then strangled him with the bar of the dumbbell.

Dahmer's heavy drinking began around the age of 14, and by the time of his first murder, his alcohol consumption was out of control. He would often arrive at school drunk, drinking scotch from plastic cups. His drinking problem persisted into adulthood, leading to his dismissal from Ohio State University and, later, the army.

Dahmer's drinking was also a factor in his subsequent murders. He would often lure his victims—usually young, gay, Black men—to his home with the promise of alcohol, before drugging and strangling them.

Dahmer himself acknowledged the role of alcohol in his crimes, saying:

> "I was so wrapped up in what I was doing. I felt I was gonna continue doing that for the rest of my life."

Dahmer's drinking problem in the army

Jeffrey Dahmer's drinking problem was already well-established by the time he joined the army. He had begun drinking alcohol as a teenager, smuggling beer, wine, and hard liquor into class and stashing bottles in his locker. He was known to show up to school drinking scotch from plastic cups and was sometimes completely drunk during class. His parents even hired a private tutor in an attempt to improve his grades, but with little success.

Dahmer's drinking problem continued into his army service. He was occasionally reprimanded for intoxication while stationed at Fort Sam Houston, and his alcoholism was cited as a reason for his discharge in 1981. He was deemed unsuitable for military service and sent back to the United States.

Dahmer's drinking was a significant factor in his dismissal from the army. Despite his superiors believing that his problems wouldn't follow him into civilian life, his alcoholism continued to worsen after his discharge.

Alcohol's role in Dahmer's crimes while living with his grandmother

Jeffrey Dahmer's alcohol addiction began in his early teenage years, with some sources placing the start of his drinking around the age of 13 in 1973. By the time he entered high school, he was drinking covertly in class and performing class clown antics that became known as "doing a Dahmer". He also brought alcohol to school and kept bottles of liquor in his locker.

Dahmer's drinking problem continued into his adulthood. He dropped out of Ohio State University due to his drinking, and his time in the U.S. Army ended with him being discharged as "unsuitable for military service due to alcohol abuse".

Dahmer's alcohol abuse was intertwined with his ritualistic acts of serial killing. His first known murder at the age of 18 involved getting drunk with his victim, Steven Hicks, before he attacked and killed him. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz, who testified for the prosecution during Dahmer's sanity trial, concluded that Dahmer "drowned himself in alcohol before killing" as a way to overcome his inhibition against the act, since he did not enjoy it.

While living with his grandmother, Catherine Dahmer, in Wisconsin, Dahmer is thought to have killed four men in gruesome ways that involved cannibalism and necrophilia. Three of these murders took place in her home. Dahmer's alcohol abuse continued during this time, with his grandmother eventually asking him to move out due to his drinking, his habit of bringing young men home late at night, and the foul smells coming from the basement and garage.

Dahmer's alcohol addiction lasted until his arrest in the early 1990s. Dr. Dietz's conclusion that Dahmer was sane and used alcohol to get through the act of murder itself was a key piece of evidence in the trial that led to Dahmer being found guilty and sentenced to 15 life terms.

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