May 8, 2025 | Leave a Comment

The Biggest Beer-Drinking States (9 States Beat Texas!)

Intro

Intro — It’s official – these are the most beer-drinking-est states in America!

Don’t worry, this ranking is done per capita, so small states and big states are on equal footing.

And to start, let’s talk about…

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America’s favorite beers

America's favorite beers — Not all beer is created equal. So which beers to Americans drink the most?

In fact, the #1 beer brand in America is no longer Bud Light – if you can believe it, it’s Modelo – here’s why.

(Although Bud Light still does quite well for itself.)

And Corona is actually the preferred beer in the most states – just not in the really high-population states like New York, Texas, and California.

With that in mind, let’s find out who drinks the most beer!

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You’ll see some surprising trends

You'll see some surprising trends — By the way – different regions feature really different levels of consumption, which is super interesting to consider.

I have some theories on the patterns we see, but I’ll share them at the end.

With that, on to the rankings (including DC!):

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#51 Utah

#51 Utah — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.52

Yearly beers per person: 111

Weekly beers per person: 2.1

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#50 Maryland

#50 Maryland — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.76

Yearly beers per person: 162

Weekly beers per person: 3.1

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#48 (tie) Connecticut

#48 (tie) Connecticut — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.78

Yearly beers per person: 166

Weekly beers per person: 3.2

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#48 (tie) Idaho

#48 (tie) Idaho — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.78

Yearly beers per person: 166

Weekly beers per person: 3.2

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#46 (tie) New Jersey

#46 (tie) New Jersey — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.82

Yearly beers per person: 175

Weekly beers per person: 3.4

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#46 (tie) Rhode Island

#46 (tie) Rhode Island — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.82

Yearly beers per person: 175

Weekly beers per person: 3.4

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#45 Massachusetts

#45 Massachusetts — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.85

Yearly beers per person: 181

Weekly beers per person: 3.5

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#43 (tie) New York

#43 (tie) New York — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.88

Yearly beers per person: 188

Weekly beers per person: 3.6

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#43 (tie) Washington

#43 (tie) Washington — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.88

Yearly beers per person: 188

Weekly beers per person: 3.6

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#42 Georgia

#42 Georgia — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.92

Yearly beers per person: 196

Weekly beers per person: 3.8

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#40 (tie) Arkansas

#40 (tie) Arkansas — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.94

Yearly beers per person: 201

Weekly beers per person: 3.9

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#40 (tie) Virginia

#40 (tie) Virginia — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.94

Yearly beers per person: 201

Weekly beers per person: 3.9

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#39 Indiana

#39 Indiana — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.95

Yearly beers per person: 203

Weekly beers per person: 3.9

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#38 Kentucky

#38 Kentucky — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.96

Yearly beers per person: 205

Weekly beers per person: 3.9

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#37 Oklahoma

#37 Oklahoma — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.97

Yearly beers per person: 207

Weekly beers per person: 4.0

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#36 Michigan

#36 Michigan — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 0.98

Yearly beers per person: 209

Weekly beers per person: 4.0

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#35 Alabama

#35 Alabama — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.00

Yearly beers per person: 213

Weekly beers per person: 4.1

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#34 Tennessee

#34 Tennessee — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.01

Yearly beers per person: 215

Weekly beers per person: 4.1

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#33 Illinois

#33 Illinois — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.04

Yearly beers per person: 222

Weekly beers per person: 4.3

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#31 (tie) Alaska

#31 (tie) Alaska — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.05

Yearly beers per person: 224

Weekly beers per person: 4.3

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#31 (tie) South Carolina

#31 (tie) South Carolina — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.05

Yearly beers per person: 224

Weekly beers per person: 4.3

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#29 (tie) Arizona

#29 (tie) Arizona — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.07

Yearly beers per person: 228

Weekly beers per person: 4.4

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#29 (tie) North Carolina

#29 (tie) North Carolina — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.07

Yearly beers per person: 228

Weekly beers per person: 4.4

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#28 Florida

#28 Florida — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.08

Yearly beers per person: 230

Weekly beers per person: 4.4

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#24 (tie) California

#24 (tie) California — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.10

Yearly beers per person: 235

Weekly beers per person: 4.5

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#24 (tie) Missouri

#24 (tie) Missouri — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.10

Yearly beers per person: 235

Weekly beers per person: 4.5

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#24 (tie) Ohio

#24 (tie) Ohio — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.10

Yearly beers per person: 235

Weekly beers per person: 4.5

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#24 (tie) Oregon

#24 (tie) Oregon — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.10

Yearly beers per person: 235

Weekly beers per person: 4.5

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#23 Kansas

#23 Kansas — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.11

Yearly beers per person: 237

Weekly beers per person: 4.6

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#21 (tie) Delaware

#21 (tie) Delaware — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.13

Yearly beers per person: 241

Weekly beers per person: 4.6

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#21 (tie) West Virginia

#21 (tie) West Virginia — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.13

Yearly beers per person: 241

Weekly beers per person: 4.6

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#20 Minnesota

#20 Minnesota — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.14

Yearly beers per person: 243

Weekly beers per person: 4.7

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#18 (tie) District of Columbia

#18 (tie) District of Columbia — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.15

Yearly beers per person: 245

Weekly beers per person: 4.7

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#18 (tie) Nebraska

#18 (tie) Nebraska — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.15

Yearly beers per person: 245

Weekly beers per person: 4.7

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#17 Colorado

#17 Colorado — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.17

Yearly beers per person: 250

Weekly beers per person: 4.8

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#16 Mississippi

#16 Mississippi — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.18

Yearly beers per person: 252

Weekly beers per person: 4.8

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#15 New Mexico

#15 New Mexico — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.20

Yearly beers per person: 256

Weekly beers per person: 4.9

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#13 (tie) Wisconsin

#13 (tie) Wisconsin — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.23

Yearly beers per person: 262

Weekly beers per person: 5.0

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#13 (tie) Wyoming

#13 (tie) Wyoming — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.23

Yearly beers per person: 262

Weekly beers per person: 5.0

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#10 (tie) Iowa

#10 (tie) Iowa — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.24

Yearly beers per person: 265

Weekly beers per person: 5.1

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#10 (tie) Louisiana

#10 (tie) Louisiana — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.24

Yearly beers per person: 265

Weekly beers per person: 5.1

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#10 (tie) Texas

#10 (tie) Texas — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.24

Yearly beers per person: 265

Weekly beers per person: 5.1

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#9 Hawaii

#9 Hawaii — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.26

Yearly beers per person: 269

Weekly beers per person: 5.2

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#8 South Dakota

#8 South Dakota — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.31

Yearly beers per person: 279

Weekly beers per person: 5.4

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#6 (tie) Maine

#6 (tie) Maine — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.33

Yearly beers per person: 284

Weekly beers per person: 5.5

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#6 (tie) Nevada

#6 (tie) Nevada — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.33

Yearly beers per person: 284

Weekly beers per person: 5.5

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#5 Pennsylvania

#5 Pennsylvania — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.34

Yearly beers per person: 286

Weekly beers per person: 5.5

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#4 North Dakota

#4 North Dakota — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.49

Yearly beers per person: 318

Weekly beers per person: 6.1

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#3 Vermont

#3 Vermont — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.59

Yearly beers per person: 339

Weekly beers per person: 6.5

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#2 Montana

#2 Montana — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.67

Yearly beers per person: 356

Weekly beers per person: 6.9

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#1 New Hampshire

#1 New Hampshire — Yearly gallons of ethanol from beer per person: 1.87

Yearly beers per person: 399

Weekly beers per person: 7.7

New Hampshire is the only state where residents drink more than a beer a day.

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The Top 10 Recap

The Top 10 Recap — The Top 10:
10 (tie) Iowa
10 (tie) Louisiana
10 (tie) Texas
9) Hawaii
8) South Dakota
6 (tie) Maine
6 (tie) Nevada
5) Pennsylvania
4) North Dakota
3) Vermont
2) Montana
1) New Hampshire

Here’s what surprised me most…

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Regional variations

Regional variations — I hadn’t realized that the Northeast in particular drank so much beer.

Look at that list again – Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire made up three of the top six (with New Hampshire being #1 overall and Vermont #3).

And if you look at the top five, you add in two more rural northern states – Montana and North Dakota.

It’s cold! I guess everyone needs something to warm up!

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Regional similarities

Regional similarities — One of the things that jumped out to me is how similar the highest per-capita beer AND wine states are.

If you look at wine consumption – it’s highest in DC, with California, New Hampshire, Vermont, Oregon, and Nevada all “up there.” (But not Maine.)

Again – you see some of those small northeastern states really rounding out the top consumption lists.

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Overall alcohol consumption tracks the same way

Overall alcohol consumption tracks the same way — It’s not just beer and wine – OVERALL alcohol consumption (including liquor) runs similarly as well, with New Hampshire the overall national leader, followed closely by Vermont, then Montana, North Dakota, and Nevada.

(Although I have gotta think Nevada is in large part due to people drinking when they visit Las Vegas…)

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Now it’s your turn

Now it's your turn — Which state’s results are the craziest?

The least surprising?

Sound off in the comments! We’d love to hear if you think your state feels right.

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