American Beer Preferences: A Cultural Drinking Insight

Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the US, with 39% of drinkers consuming it most often. On average, Americans consume 28.2 gallons of beer per person, per year, or roughly one six-pack per week. While craft beer sales are rising, mass-produced beers remain the most popular, with Bud Light being the number one beer brand in the country.

Beer is the most-consumed alcoholic beverage in the US

Beer consumption varies across the US, with overall consumption per adult age 21 and over being around 28.2 gallons per person per year. North Dakota has the highest consumption at 45.8 gallons, while New York has the lowest at 22.4 gallons.

The most popular beer brand in the US is Bud Light, which shipped 27.2 million barrels in 2019. Other top-selling brands include Coors Banquet, Miller Lite, and Corona. While craft beer sales are rising, mass-produced beers still dominate the market. Two companies, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors, produce 18 of the top 25 best-selling beers.

Beer is also the preferred alcoholic beverage for men, younger drinkers, those with lower incomes, and those without a college degree.

North Dakota consumes the most beer per capita

Beer is the most commonly consumed alcoholic beverage in the United States, with 39% of drinkers saying it is their preferred drink. This is followed by wine at 31% and liquor at 27%. While the mass-produced, non-craft beers are the most popular, sales of craft beers are rising. The nation's 7,500-plus craft breweries shipped a total of 25.9 million barrels in 2018, up from 9.1 million ten years earlier.

However, the top-selling beers in the US are largely produced by two companies: Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors. These two companies produce 18 of the top 25 best-selling beers, including the top five and eight of the top ten. Bud Light, for example, shipped 27.2 million barrels in 2019, while sales of the top three brands exceeded 53 million.

When it comes to beer consumption per capita, North Dakota tops the list. The average beer consumption per adult over the age of 21 in the United States is around 28.2 gallons per person per year, or roughly one six-pack per week. In contrast, North Dakota's per-capita consumption is 45.8 gallons, significantly higher than the national average. New Hampshire and Montana are close contenders, with 43.9 and 41.0 gallons per capita, respectively.

The high per-capita consumption in North Dakota may be influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural preferences, availability, and regional differences in drinking habits. It's worth noting that the legal drinking age in the US is 21, and the consumption numbers are based on adults over this age.

Bud Light is the number one beer brand in the US

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the US, with 39% of drinkers saying they drink it most often. While craft beer sales are rising, mass-produced beers are still the most popular, with Bud Light being the number one beer brand in the US. In 2019, Bud Light shipped 27.2 million barrels, with sales of the top three brands (all light or "lite" beers) exceeding 53 million.

Bud Light's sales figures are particularly impressive when you consider that it is distributed nationwide, unlike some other popular beers such as Yuengling, which is only distributed on the East Coast and in the South. Bud Light is also the only beer in the top three that is not a malt liquor, which tends to be more popular with younger drinkers.

The brand stirred controversy with its "no corn syrup" campaign in 2019, which insinuated that rivals Miller Lite and Coors Light contained the sweetener. A federal judge issued an injunction barring Anheuser-Busch from making these corn syrup claims. Despite this, Bud Light maintained its position as the best-selling beer brand in the US, with sales figures almost double those of its closest competitor.

While beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in the US, Americans are drinking less of it. Sales of domestic beer declined by 4.6% between October 2018 and October 2019, and Americans drank 1.3% less beer on Super Bowl Sunday in 2020 than in 2019.

Beer consumption is down from 4 drinks/week in 2019 to 3.6 drinks/week in 2021

Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the United States, with 39% of drinkers consuming it most often. However, there has been a downward trend in Americans' alcohol consumption, with the average number of drinks per week dipping from 4 in 2019 to 3.6 in 2021. This decrease in alcohol consumption is reflected in the drop in beer consumption, with Americans drinking less beer per week on average.

While beer remains the preferred drink for Americans, the overall consumption patterns indicate a shift in drinking habits. The average adult over the age of 21 consumes about 10 ounces of beer per day, equivalent to roughly one six-pack per week. This amounts to an annual consumption of around 28.2 gallons of beer per adult, with North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Montana leading the way in per capita beer consumption.

The decrease in beer consumption can be attributed to various factors, including changing preferences and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. During the nationwide lockdowns in 2020, drinking habits may have been affected, and the subsequent reopening of social venues and the return to pre-pandemic activities may have influenced drinking behaviors.

Additionally, the rise in popularity of other alcoholic beverages, such as premium liquor, canned wine, spiked seltzers, and premade bottled cocktails, has likely contributed to the decline in beer consumption. Beer sales data from 2019 showed that while some brands maintained or increased their market share, others experienced declines, indicating a diverse range of drinking preferences among Americans.

The shift in drinking habits is also evident in the changing preferences within the beer category. While mass-produced beers continue to dominate the market, there has been a significant increase in the sales of specialty brews and craft beers. The growing number of craft breweries and the appeal of unique, local, or independent beer options have expanded the choices available to consumers, potentially impacting the consumption of traditional beer brands.

Men are more than twice as likely as women to drink beer most often

Beer is the most commonly consumed alcoholic beverage in the United States, with 39% of drinkers saying it is their preferred drink. This preference is much more common among men, who are more than twice as likely as women to say they drink beer most often. Overall, 63% of men and 57% of women in the US drink alcohol, and men are significantly more likely to choose beer as their drink of choice.

The average US adult over the age of 21 consumes around 10 ounces of beer per day, or roughly one six-pack per week. This equates to an average of 28.2 gallons of beer per person per year. Beer consumption varies by state, with North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Montana topping the list.

While craft beer has been gaining popularity, with sales of specialty brews on the rise, mass-produced beers still dominate the market. The top-selling beer brand in the US is Bud Light, which shipped 27.2 million barrels in 2019. Other popular brands include Coors Banquet, Corona, and Miller Lite, all produced by the two largest beer companies in the US: Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors.

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