Beer Tops List of Beverage of Choice, But Wine Sees Gains in Popularity

Beer Tops List of Beverage of Choice, But Wine Sees Gains in Popularity
Wine is the favorite alcohol among women, adults ages 65+, and those in high income households
   
NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- While consumers increasingly alternate between alcohol categories depending on the drinking occasion, everyone has a favorite beverage to sip on – a trusted go-to regardless of the time or place. For nearly 4 in 10 regular drinkers (U.S. adults ages 21+ who drink alcohol several times a year or more), beer is that beverage of choice (38%), followed by wine (31%), and spirits/liquor (28%). But has it always been like this?

Most regular drinkers who say beer is their beverage of choice today also say it was their go-to alcohol beverage 2 years ago (83% of those 23+) and 10 years ago (73% of those 31+). A majority of today's spirit choosers say the same as well, with 78% stating they preferred liquor/spirits 2 years ago (of those 23+) and 63% 10 years ago (of those 31+).

Wine drinkers, on the other hand, tell a slightly different story. While nearly three quarters of today's wine drinkers say they also preferred wine 2 years ago (73% of those 23+), just 4 in 10 say the same of 10 years ago (44% of those 31+). Many of today's wine drinkers (ages 31+) had a different top pick a decade ago and say they were instead drinking liquor/spirits (26%) or beer (21%).

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