The State That Drinks The Most Alcohol Per Capita May Surprise You
You can walk into a swanky Manhattan bar during the night rush and order a Bloody Mary made with tomatoes and pure filtered vodka (via Eater). You could go into a dingy bar off the beaten path of some obscure North Dakota town and order an ice-cold Budweiser. No matter which state you go to, you can usually find refreshment in alcoholic libation. But which state, you may wonder, is known for loving alcohol a bit more than any other state?
Perhaps it is the city of the Big Apple where New Yorkers, according to VinePair, have their choice of 3,389 bars to choose from which to get a cold one. Maybe it's California, where more than 1,100 craft breweries operate to serve thirsty patrons locally and nationally, per California Craft Brewers Association. Since California makes 85% of the wine in the U.S. (via The National Association of American Wineries), it wouldn't be a bad choice to assume that the Golden State stands as one of the top places to wet your whistle. Unfortunately, you would be incorrect.
The state that drinks the most alcohol per capita isn't the Big Apple, the Golden State, or even the Silver State of Nevada. It's the Granite State (via State Symbols USA) — better known as New Hampshire.
Why New Hampshire?
According to World Population Review, New Hampshire boasts the highest amount of consumed alcohol per capita in the U.S., coming in at a staggering 4.76 gallons. What exactly makes New Hampshire so rich with liquor compared to the metropolises of New York and California?
The Granite State has a long history in wine-making, boasting a wide selection of over 30 wineries across the state (via Visit New Hampshire). So popular is wine in New Hampshire that there is even a "Wine Week," celebrating all sorts of wines and winemakers from around the state, per New Hampshire Wine Week. Indeed, if New Hampshire is well known for its wide, sprawling vineyards, then it's no wonder folks like to imbibe a bit of alcohol every now and then.
But VinePair has another theory as to why New Hampshire is so "wet" regarding alcohol consumption: there's no tax on liquor. Since there is no sales tax in New Hampshire, there's no need for people to have to worry about paying a bit more for their case of beer or bottle of wine. It can be agreed that cheap drinks are much more popular than paying full price.
New Hampshire, however, doesn't lead the U.S. in all liquor-related records. One state, for example, is home to 41 out of 50 of the United States' most liquor-loving counties.