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How Much Does America Spend On Beer? $1,200 Per Drinker Per Year, And 5 More Facts About Beer You Didn't Know
Beer is an American staple, up there with apple pie, hot dogs and baseball. And boy, do we love us some brews. Just in time for the Super Bowl, a report has come out from research company Survey Analytics: "The Secret Life of the American Beer Buyer" that details the habits of America's beer drinkers.
The beer industry employs two million Americans, and sales in the country are bouncing back thanks to the rising popularity of craft brews and breweries. If that's not reason for a celebratory drink, we don't know what is. While there weren't enough respondents to represent all of America's beer-drinking habits — only 300 survey participants, from 42 states — the study delves into some of the juicy details of a favorite American pastime: BEER.
So grab a pint (it's happy hour somewhere!) and learn what the good ol' U.S. of A. thinks about beer...
The average consumer spends more than $1,200 a year on beer
Priorities, right? The average beer-buyer spends an average of $1,270 on beer per year, according to the survey, with the highest reported amount at $10,000 and the lowest at $100. 22 percent of beer buyers purchase and drink beer two to three times a week, while 20 percent enjoy a cold one just once a week.
Budweiser Elicits Mixed Feelings
It’s either the best, or the worst. Budweiser topped the survey’s charts at both ends of the spectrum as a “polarizing brand.” 51 percent of people rated the self-proclaimed King of Beers as their favorite, while 46 percent said it was their least.
Other brands that came in at the top: Coors (13 percent,) Corona (12 percent) and Stella (10 percent.)
Ales Over Lagers
When it comes to taste, Americans prefer ales over lagers. The main difference between the two is the type of yeast used in the brewing process.
33 percent of consumers prefer ales, generally stronger and more forceful in taste, and 24 percent would rather have a lager. Beer drinkers aren’t fans of cans — an overwhelming 84 percent want their alcohol in a bottle.
Word of Mouth Leads To Beer Loyalty
Drinking is a social activity, and most people experiment with brands of beer through family and friends.
46 percent of survey participants heard of their favorite drink from someone they knew. Just be wary of taking a drink from the creepy stranger at the bar…
Price Doesn't Matter So Much
Money isn’t so much an issue when it comes to beer: For American buyers, cost is rarely a deciding factor in picking their beverage. Only five percent use price to determine what they’ll buy.
Ads are a different story. 33 percent of people will base their favorite brands on who has the best advertisements, followed by the 29 percent who decide based on where the beer is brewed.
Craft beer, Home Brew trends are In
Selections at your chain supermarkets or local bodega aren’t cutting it anymore. More people are home-brewing and creating beer concoctions on their own, accompanied by the growing population that support small microbreweries in their area.
14 percent of those asked had made their own beer, while 68 percent were interested in taking craft brewing lessons from favorite craft brands like Dogfish Head and Breckenridge Brewer.
