The State That Drinks The Most Beer Is In The Midwest Heartland

America is a country that loves its beer, but on a list of the states that drink the most per person, the Midwest is always going to reign supreme. Alcohol consumption has been on the decline, but the United States still consumes a massive quantity of beer, quaffing an estimated 6.5 billion gallons a year. And while wine and spirits have gained some ground on it, beer is also still the top preferred drink of over 40% of Americans, compared to around 30% for wine, according to Gallup. And those beer-drinking numbers are tipped up quite heavily by the Midwest, where three of the top five states are located. But even within America's heartland, North Dakota's love of beer stands out.

Ranking just ahead of second-place New Hampshire, North Dakota consumes the most beer per person over the age of 21 in the United States, according to data gathered by World Population Review. North Dakotans drink an average of nearly 46 gallons of beer per year, more than 50% greater than the national average. New Hampshire is close behind at 43.9 gallons per person and drinks the most alcohol of any state when wine and spirits are counted. Meanwhile, Montana comes in third at 41 gallons per capita. Two more Midwestern states round out the top five, with South Dakota drinking 38.9 gallons at four and Wisconsin downing 36.2 gallons. So, just what is it about North Dakota and the rest of the Midwest that leads to such high beer consumption? Here's what we know.

Like any larger consumption trend, there are a few different forces at work in North Dakota's heavy beer drinking, but it seems to come down to a combination of geography and culture. Like other Midwestern states, North Dakota is a cold place to live, and that encourages folks to stay in and drink. North Dakota is also a heavily rural state, one of the least densely populated in the country. The lack of other cultural options and gathering spots in small, rural areas often encourages heavy drinking and socializing at bars and pubs.

North Dakota also has a strong heritage of German and Irish immigrants, something it shares with other big beer-drinking states like Wisconsin. Both Germany and Ireland are big beer countries where beer-drinking is deeply ingrained in the culture. Finally, North Dakota has a very blue-collar workforce, particularly in the oil industry, which has been associated with heavier beer drinking.

Unfortunately, while all that beer drinking supports some nice local breweries, the largest one in the state, Fargo Brewing, closed in 2024, reflecting larger struggles in the craft brewing industry. There are still some good options like Drekker Brewing and Laughing Sun, which topped our list as the best brewery in the state, but hopefully some enterprising North Dakotan can take advantage of the state's love of beer and fill the hole that Fargo Brewing has left behind.