Moneybox

The Stunning Collapse of Beer in America

Fairly stunning data from Gallup on Americans’ declining taste for beer compared to wine and hard liquor.

There are some interesting demographic internals, too. Back in the early nineties 71 percent of the 18-29 cohort preferred beer. Just 41 percent of today’s youth cohort says beer is their favorite, as do only 43 percent of 30 to 49 year olds. In other words, a cohort of beer lovers lost their taste for it as they became middle aged and was replaced by a new youth cohort that doesn’t like beer that much either.

What will be interesting to see is whether today’s young people follow their elders in becoming more beer-averse as they age.