This Is Where Kentucky Ranks in Beer Consumption in US

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lifestyle restrictions have changed alcohol consumption habits, including shifting consumer preferences to wine and spirits. But beer is still a favorite alcoholic beverage in the U.S.

The average American adult consumed nearly 26 gallons of beer in 2020, which was about 3.2 gallons less than in 2010 but about the same as in 2016. Beer consumption tends to vary considerably across the country.

To determine the states where people drink the most and least amounts of beer, 24/7 Tempo reviewed annual beer shipment data per capita provided by Beer Marketer’s Insights, a brewing industry trade publisher. We used shipments as a proxy for consumption.

In 2020, beer consumption per capita was the ninth lowest in Kentucky. The average resident drank 23.1 gallons, about 1.3 gallons less than in 2016.

The five-year decline of 5.3% in beer consumption per capita in the state was the 18th smallest decrease in the U.S.

The 10-year change in Kentucky of 6.5% was the 9thsmallest decrease in the country, down from 24.7 gallons in 2010.

There were 6,400 brewing facilities around the U.S. in 2019, producing the equivalent of more than 2.8 billion 24-container cases of 12-ounce cans or bottles, according to a report by the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Most of the beer people drink does not come from where they might think it does — there are at least 10 “imported” beers that are actually brewed in the U.S.

 

State Beer shipment per adult 21+ in 2020 (gallons) 5-yr change Rank 10-yr change Rank
Maryland 18.5 -11.1% 4th largest decrease -22.9 3rd largest decrease
Connecticut 19.8 -7.0% 18th largest decrease -12.8 18th largest decrease
Utah 19.9 7.0% the largest increase 2.6 the largest increase
New Jersey 20.0 -6.5% 19th largest decrease -13.0 14th largest decrease
Rhode Island 20.1 -14.5% the largest decrease -26.6 the largest decrease
New York 20.2 -10.6% 6th largest decrease -13.3 13th largest decrease
Massachusetts 21.5 -10.8% 5th largest decrease -18.6 6th largest decrease
Georgia 23.0 -8.4% 10th largest decrease -12.9 17th largest decrease
Kentucky 23.1 -5.3% 18th smallest decrease -6.5 9thsmallest decrease
West Virginia 23.3 -4.5% 16th smallest decrease -11.1 23rd smallest decrease
Indiana 23.6 -0.8% 2nd smallest decrease -12.9 16th largest decrease
Michigan 23.6 -8.2% 12th largest decrease -14.2 12th largest decrease
Arkansas 23.9 -1.6% 5th smallest decrease -10.5 22nd smallest decrease
Virginia 24.2 -4.0% 11th smallest decrease -12.3 23rd largest decrease
Tennessee 24.2 -5.5% 19th smallest decrease -9.4 18th smallest decrease
California 24.7 -3.1% 8th smallest decrease -7.5 13th smallest decrease
Pennsylvania 24.9 -7.8% 14th largest decrease -15.6 10th largest decrease
Idaho 25.0 -6.4% 20th largest decrease -15.3 11th largest decrease
Ohio 25.5 -9.9% 7th largest decrease -18.5 7th largest decrease
Florida 25.6 -4.8% 17th smallest decrease -9.5 21st smallest decrease
North Carolina 25.8 0.4% the smallest increase -6.5 10th smallest decrease
Alaska 26.0 -4.4% 14th smallest decrease -8.8 15th smallest decrease
Illinois 26.1 -7.8% 15th largest decrease -12.7 19th largest decrease
Missouri 26.6 -7.3% 16th largest decrease -16.9 9th largest decrease
Hawaii 26.7 -12.5% 3rd largest decrease -11.9 24th largest decrease
Oklahoma 26.8 3.9% 2nd largest increase -6.6 11th smallest decrease
Arizona 27.0 -0.4% the smallest decrease -12.6 20th largest decrease
Minnesota 27.1 -5.9% 21st smallest decrease -6.2 7th smallest decrease
Kansas 27.4 3.4% 3rd largest increase -5.2 5th smallest decrease
Delaware 27.4 -9.9% 8th largest decrease -20.6 4th largest decrease
New Mexico 27.7 -4.5% 15th smallest decrease -17.6 8th largest decrease
Oregon 27.7 -9.5% 9th largest decrease -11.5 24th smallest decrease
Washington 27.8 -1.1% 3rd smallest decrease -9.4 19th smallest decrease
Louisiana 28.1 -7.3% 17th largest decrease -19.3 5th largest decrease
Colorado 28.4 -1.7% 6th smallest decrease -6.9 12th smallest decrease
Alabama 28.7 -4.3% 12nd smallest decrease -5.9 6th smallest decrease
Nevada 28.8 -14.3% 2nd largest decrease -23.2 2nd largest decrease
Wyoming 30.0 1.7% 2nd smallest increase -11.8 25th largest decrease
Iowa 30.9 -5.5% 20th smallest decrease -12.5 21st largest decrease
Nebraska 31.3 -8.2% 11th largest decrease -12.3 22nd largest decrease
Mississippi 31.5 -2.2% 7th smallest decrease -9.0 17th smallest decrease
Texas 32.0 -1.5% 4th smallest decrease -8.0 14th smallest decrease
Wisconsin 32.3 -8.0% 13th largest decrease -12.9 15th largest decrease
South Carolina 32.5 2.8% 4th largest increase -3.3 2nd smallest decrease
Maine 32.5 -3.8% 9th smallest decrease 0.3 the smallest increase
Vermont 33.9 1.8% 3rd smallest increase -3.7 4th smallest decrease
North Dakota 37.2 -4.4% 13th smallest decrease -9.5 20th smallest decrease
South Dakota 37.3 -3.9% 10th smallest decrease -3.4 3rd smallest decrease
Montana 41.0 2.2% 4th smallest increase -1.2 the smallest decrease
New Hampshire 41.4 0.0% no change -6.3 8th smallest decrease