Do Americans Drink More Wine Or Beer? (2023 Updated)

Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Lydia Martin

It’s no secret that Americans have a preference for beer and wine. But if they had to choose only one, which would come out victorious? 

So, do Americans drink more wine or beer? We’ll tell you all about it here. 

Beer or Wine – What Do Americans Like Most?

The Consumption Habits Survey of Gallup Poll last 2019 showed that 38 percent of people preferred beer. 30 percent of American adults named wine as their favorite alcoholic beverage. Surprisingly, just as many people said they preferred hard liquor — around 29 percent. [1] 

Preferences for alcoholic drinks vary by gender, education, and income.

Men consumed alcohol more frequently than women, and those who were more educated drank more than their counterparts.

A higher percentage of these groups still preferred beer. 

There was no change to America’s legal drinking population, though — around 65 percent of adults said they drink alcohol on occasion, which is more than six in every ten adults.

This data has been consistent over the past two decades. 

And did you know that beer ranks third next to water and tea in popularity amongst beverages? 

Read: How To Open Wine Bottle With A Lighter

Why Americans Prefer Beer 

Beer fans are extremely loyal — those who said it was their preferred alcoholic beverage today said it had been their favorite for the past five years. 

So why do Americans prefer it? Well, believe it or not, its popularity can be attributed to its bitter taste; for some, it grows on them over time, and they don’t find it as bothersome.

Many people also find it has a unique flavor profile — from malty to fruity to peppery — depending on which type you have. 

For some, it’s a lot more psychological. Alcohol, in general, has a long history as a social drink and is often seen in celebrations and groups.

Beer’s low alcohol content allows you to enjoy more drinks without getting drunk quickly, making it perfect for casual parties.

To put it simply, drinking beer makes people feel good. 

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Is Beer Popular With Younger or Older Drinkers? 

Beer is popular with younger drinkers, while older drinkers prefer wines. 84 percent of those surveyed reportedly drank this preferred alcoholic beverage in the past month. 

Young men, in particular, are the biggest drinkers, consuming an average of 22.8 drinks a month.

On the other hand, women averaged just about 11.3 drinks in the same period. This percentage was sourced from a recent Maritz AmeriPoll, a notable sales and marketing company. [2] 

Beer drinkers favored domestic, non-craft brands over craft and imported.  

However, it’s also worth noting that baby boomers probably have alcoholic drinks more frequently than their younger counterparts — 45 percent of those aged 50 or older had a tipple in the past week, as opposed to just 37 percent of millennials. 

Those over 65 years old, however, preferred wines. 

Read: Does Wine Make You Sleepy?

What Gets You Drunk Faster, Wine or Beer? 

Wine gets you drunk much faster than beer. 

It has a higher percentage of alcohol — around 15 percent ABV per 5 ounces (a standard glass), as opposed to beer’s 7 per 12 ounces (a standard can or bottle). 

Wine can enter the bloodstream faster and get you drunk quicker if you chug it fast. However, wines are meant to be sipped slowly and savored, so you shouldn’t get drunk too quickly. 

On the other hand, beers are famous party beverages people chug down without much thought.

It’s cheap, highly accessible, and won’t get you drunk immediately — it’s said that you’ll need more drinks — around three to four cans — versus two glasses of wine for it to have the same effect. 

Read: Does Champagne Freeze?

Is Beer the Best Alcoholic Drink? 

Beer is not particularly healthy, so no, it’s not the best alcoholic drink. 

This is a high-calorie alcoholic drink, so you should avoid drinking it if you’re keeping tabs on your weight. It is also high in congeners, which is the chemical component that causes hangovers. 

On the other hand, wines have more health benefits for adults. It contains a high amount of antioxidants, which can protect your body from cancer-causing cells, and polyphenols, which can benefit the heart.

It also has excellent anti-aging properties. Of course, these benefits can only be yours if you keep your drinking habits in check. But is whiskey really healthier than beer?

FAQs 

Does the world drink more wine or beer?

Hands down, the world consumes more beer than wine. In a survey conducted in 2012, almost 70 percent of people who drink alcohol drank beer, as opposed to 22 percent of wine and 5 percent liquor. 

What is America’s national alcoholic drink?

Bourbon is America’s national alcoholic drink. This liquor is the country’s response to whiskey and adheres to strict legal requirements before it can be called bourbon. It originated in Kentucky and has been the country’s national spirit since 1964. 

How many beers do Americans drink in a year?

In 2017 alone, American drinkers consumed 65 billion 12-ounce beers. If you were to break the data down even further, that would be about one six-pack per week per American. This data is according to alcohol.org. But how many beers will it take to get you drunk?

How many bottles of wine do Americans drink in a year?

It is said that people in the United States consume 4.3 billion bottles of wine per year. Americans are also the largest consumer globally, with France and Italy trailing close behind. This data was also based on alcohol.org. 

Key Takeaways 

So, to put it simply — Americans are big beer drinkers. 

More people, especially young men, cited beer (38 percent) as their preferred alcoholic beverage over wine (30 percent). Those from this group drank 22.8 servings of it in a month, as opposed to women who had just 11.3 servings. 

On the other hand, those over the age of 65 said their drinking habits involved more wines. 

Those who said that beer was their preferred alcoholic beverage said so because of its unique flavor profile and the fact that they liked the bitterness. It was also a relatively “easy” drink. Others like it because they associate it with feeling good, such as having a bottle combined with a sports game or laughing with a group of friends at a party. 

However, consuming beer is not particularly healthy compared to wines, which contain amounts of antioxidants and polyphenols that are good for your overall health. 

References: 

1. https://news.gallup.com/poll/214229/beer-remains-preferred-alcoholic-beverage.aspx 
2. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Survey