America’s yearly alcohol consumption average since Prohibition
Richard Suter
·6 min read
Repeal Day to 2022
December 5, 1933—the day Prohibition was reversed—changed so much in American history. While many were still imbibing in speakeasies and cellars across the map, the legal shift pushed alcohol consumption to the mainstream. Dancing, coping, celebrating, selling, or even employment—booze’s approval created a historical progression that has (oddly) served as part of the time capsule through American lore.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH) took that concept a step further a few years ago and looked at the average gallons of alcohol consumed per capita.
Here’s the report…
1934
Gallons per capita consumed: 0.97
1935
Gallons per capita consumed: 1.20
1936
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.50
1937
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.59
1938
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.47
1939
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.51
1940
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.56
1941
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.70
1942
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.97
1943
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.83
1944
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.07
1945
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.25
1946
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.30
1947
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.30
1948
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.97
1949
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.98
1950
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.04
1951
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.01
1952
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.98
1953
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.01
1954
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.96
1955
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.00
1956
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.03
1957
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.99
1958
Gallons consumed per capita: 1.98
1959
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.06
1960
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.07
1961
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.06
1962
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.11
1963
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.15
1964
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.33
1965
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.27
1966
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.32
1967
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.37
1968
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.45
1969
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.51
1970
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.52
1971
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.58
1972
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.54
1973
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.60
1974
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.65
1975
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.67
1976
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.66
1977
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.60
1978
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.66
1979
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.70
1980
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.75
1981
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.76
1982
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.72
1983
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.69
1984
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.65
1985
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.62
1986
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.58
1987
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.55
1988
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.49
1989
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.43
1990
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.45
1991
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.30
1992
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.30
1993
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.23
1994
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.18
1995
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.15
1996
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.16
1997
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.15
1998
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.15
1999
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.17
2000
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.19
2001
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.18
2002
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.20
2003
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.22
2004
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.24
2005
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.25
2006
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.28
2007
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.31
2008
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.31
2009
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.29
2010
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.26
2011
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.29
2012
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.34
2013
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.33
2014
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.32
2015
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.33
2016
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.35
2017
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.35
2018
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.35
2019
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.63
2020
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.44
2021
Gallons consumed per capita: 2.51
2022
Gallons consumed per capita: Estimations are in the 2.51 range.
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