North Dakota overtakes New Hampshire as top state in ‘per capita’ beer consumption

beer institute logoPress Release:

(Washington, DC) – If you are reaching into a picnic cooler for an ice cold beer this Independence Day holiday, you are in good company. More than 99 million Americans drink beer responsibly, making beer the top choice over wine and hard liquor for celebrating occasions like the Fourth of July – America’s top beer-selling holiday.

In the two weeks ending on July 7, 2012, beer was the largest selling category of all food and beverage categories in Nielsen measured channels, with sales reaching $1.36 billion. This year, brewers and beer importers hope to see beer again be the top choice for Americans celebrating the occasion.

This week also marks the release of a new analysis of state-by-state beer consumption data from the Beer Institute, the national trade association representing America’s brewers, beer importers and industry suppliers. The annual ranking can be found in its entirety below and online. The analysis found that the five states that consumed the most beer per capita in 2012 were:

1. North Dakota

2. New Hampshire

3. Montana

4. South Dakota

5. Wisconsin

Overall, beer consumption rose 1.5 percent in the United States in 2012 as the economy began to come back after the recession and above normal winter and spring temperatures helped boost beer sales. This means that, on average, each American over the age of 21 drank a little less than one 12 ounce beer per day in 2012. That equates to about 300 beers per year.

There’s another reason to feel good about drinking a beer in salute to America’s birthday. The U.S. brewing and beer importing business puts more than two million Americans to work, from barley farmers to shopkeepers and truck drivers. And with the taxes levied on all aspects of brewing, importing, trucking and selling beer, American beer drinkers contribute significantly to local, state and federal government — $49 billion in 2012, according to a recent economic study. In fact, more than 40 percent of the retail cost of beer paid by consumers goes toward taxes, on a national average, making taxes the most expensive ingredient in beer.

“From hops producers to can and bottle makers in communities across the country, beer is an economic engine that contributes more than $246 billion to the U.S. economy,” said Joe McClain, president of the Beer Institute. “As folks raise a beer this July Fourth in backyards, on front porches and at holiday celebrations, I ask that they salute the millions of Americans who worked to get that beer from grain to glass.”

For more information about the economic impact of beer in the United States, including state and Congressional district data, please visit www.BeerServesAmerica.org.

BEER INSTITUTE

Shipments of Malt Beverages and Per Capita Consumption by State 2012

(31 gallon barrels and gallons per person 21 years and older)

State

2012    Shipments

2012 Rank

2012 21+ Population Est

Per Capita Consumption

2012 Rank

Alabama

3,405,054

24

3,495,392

30.2

22

Alaska

475,298

49

513,228

28.7

27

Arizona

4,436,917

14

4,663,900

29.5

25

Arkansas

1,823,822

34

2,119,568

26.7

37

California

22,317,858

1

27,136,252

25.5

44

Colorado

3,628,449

21

3,743,962

30.0

24

Connecticut

1,883,859

32

2,637,510

22.1

50

Delaware

727,676

46

671,947

33.6

14

District of Columbia

445,508

50

488,490

28.3

32

Florida

12,881,385

3

14,587,186

27.4

34

Georgia

5,795,422

10

6,994,011

25.7

43

Hawaii

1,018,000

41

1,037,311

30.4

19

Idaho

987,314

42

1,102,202

27.8

33

Illinois

8,708,195

6

9,268,030

29.1

26

Indiana

3,885,980

19

4,652,578

25.9

42

Iowa

2,397,885

29

2,209,302

33.6

13

Kansas

1,852,707

33

2,031,369

28.3

31

Kentucky

2,509,430

27

3,186,609

24.4

46

Louisiana

3,600,357

22

3,293,112

33.9

11

Maine

1,108,492

40

1,010,315

34.0

10

Maryland

3,216,919

25

4,298,739

23.2

47

Massachusetts

4,169,574

16

4,932,640

26.2

40

Michigan

6,219,773

8

7,184,978

26.8

36

Minnesota

3,564,936

23

3,878,373

28.5

29

Mississippi

2,300,737

31

2,105,729

33.9

12

Missouri

4,362,037

15

4,362,875

31.0

18

Montana

978,877

43

740,965

41.0

3

Nebraska

1,487,657

36

1,308,461

35.2

8

Nevada

2,302,338

30

1,995,542

35.8

6

New Hampshire

1,397,740

37

986,074

43.9

2

New Jersey

4,691,905

13

6,496,123

22.4

49

New Mexico

1,551,902

35

1,483,933

32.4

17

New York

10,459,229

4

14,475,962

22.4

48

North Carolina

6,167,486

9

7,048,067

27.1

35

North Dakota

753,150

44

509,226

45.8

1

Ohio

8,153,103

7

8,396,361

30.1

23

Oklahoma

2,481,159

28

2,713,986

28.3

30

Oregon

2,824,541

26

2,887,855

30.3

20

Pennsylvania

8,734,643

5

9,463,602

28.6

28

Rhode Island

661,213

47

778,808

26.3

39

South Carolina

3,631,748

20

3,439,725

32.7

16

South Dakota

742,952

45

591,547

38.9

4

Tennessee

3,971,793

18

4,704,160

26.2

41

Texas

19,889,355

2

17,934,667

34.4

9

Utah

1,194,026

39

1,836,271

20.2

51

Vermont

534,524

48

468,943

35.3

7

Virginia

5,144,231

11

5,981,454

26.7

38

Washington

4,029,277

17

5,041,656

24.8

45

West Virginia

1,367,366

38

1,399,038

30.3

21

Wisconsin

4,859,589

12

4,160,398

36.2

5

Wyoming

443,659

51

417,034

33.0

15

Total

206,177,046

226,865,466

28.2

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2 thoughts on “North Dakota overtakes New Hampshire as top state in ‘per capita’ beer consumption

  1. I am from north dakota and broken down .. there is about 10 beers per gallon. 52 weeks in a year. On the avg. That is less then 7 beers a week. Or 1 beer a day.

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