Beer Remains America’s Alcoholic Beverage of Choice

Here’s a not-so-shocking fact: beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the U.S.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 41% of American say they prefer beer, whereas 31% prefer wine and 23% prefer liquor. Of course, this is in stark contrast to 2005, when wine was the preferred alcoholic beverage among Americans.

It’s important to note that alcoholic beverage preferences vary between men and women. Women largely favor wine, with almost half of the female adult population choosing wine. Only 17% of men, on the other hand, prefer wine over beer.

The Gallup survey also reveals that most people drink alcoholic beverages do so on a regular basis. According to the survey, 67% of respondents reported consuming at least one alcoholic beverage in the past week, and 25% of the survey’s respondents said they had drank an alcoholic beverage within the past three months. Only 10% said the last time they had drank an alcoholic beverage was further than 3 months.

So, what’s causing the beer-loving trend in America? There are a few different reasons for its recent growth in popularity, one of which is the growing number of craft breweries. Craft breweries are essentially small, independently owned breweries which produce less than 2 million barrels of beer annually. These small breweries are often preferred due to their focus on quality over quantity. It’s important to note, however, that craft breweries still only account for 7% of all breweries in the U.S.

Another possible factor that’s playing a role in the popularity of beer is the increased transparency regarding its effects on the human body. Beer was once viewed as a nutrition-less beverage that increased a person’s risk for a variety of different diseases and illnesses. Now, however, health experts are saying that moderate consumption of beer can actually improve a person’s health by lowering their blood pressure, reducing the risk of kidney stones, and even regulate blood sugar levels.

Gallup’s survey was conducted through interviews with nearly 10,000 adults who claim to drink alcohol beverages on occasion.

“Results for drinking by day of week are based on combined data from Gallup’s annual consumption surveys, from 2001 through 2014, including interviews with 9,847 adults who say they ever have occasion to drink alcohol. The results for each day of the week are based on a minimum of 858 interviews and a maximum of 2,930 interviews,” wrote Gallup.

Which alcoholic beverage do you prefer? Beer, wine or liquor? Let us know in the comments section below!