Beer continues to be the number one alcoholic beverage among American consumers over spirits and wine with 37% saying beer is their preferred drink with 31% choosing spirits and 29% choosing wine. But the numbers continue to slide downward for beer, with nearly 50% of consumers choosing beer as their preferred drink over wine and spirits 20 years ago.
The Gallup’s Consumption Habits poll also found that wine has now fallen below 30% for the first time since 1996. The 31% who said they would choose spirits is the highest number ever and shows that spirits have now clearly overtaken wine for the number two spot.
Not surprisingly, the poll also found that men are more than twice as likely as women to say they drink beer most often, and women are about three times as likely as men to say wine is their most common beverage.
Those in the lower- and middle-income groups mainly choose beer as their most preferred drink, while upper-income drinkers are more evenly divided in their preferences.
62% of U.S. adults drink alcohol while 38% abstain completely. Alcohol consumption has changed very little in the last seven decades with the average being 63% dating back to 1939.
More details from the poll here.