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Americans And Their Booze
America’s history with booze has always been a study in contrasts.
During the Revolution, alcohol was not merely ubiquitous, but nearly essential. Many of the great early revolutionary meetings were held in taverns. A number of the Founders — George Washington and Sam Adams most famously — brewed or distilled their own stuff, and Thomas Jefferson had one of the best cellars on the continent.
Alcohol continued to be integral during the early Republic. Taverns retained their status as meeting places for political organizations, and respectable statesmen were expected to fete their constituents on election day (James Madison once lost an election to the Virginia House of Delegates because his opponent threw a (much) better party). Moreover, booze was the cause of the first armed rebellions against the Federal Government. More on that another time.
What’s truly astounding is just how much alcohol Americans of the time drank. Due to a combination of a lack if potable water, misunderstandings about the health effects of alcohol, and he general deliciousness of the stuff, the average American “imbibed an average of 34 gallons of beer and cider, five gallons of distilled spirits, and one gallon of wine per person per year in 1790.”
Just 130 years later, of course, Americans completely banned the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcohol. It wasn’t a close thing, either: after passing the Senate and House, the 18th amendment went on to be ratified by 46 of he 48 states (Rhode Island and Connecticut being the only dissenters).
Though our current alcohol culture is far more moderate on average — Americans ranking in the middle of the pack when it comes to average annual consumption — it’s still relatively easy to find the stuff in most of the country, however absurd local regulations might be. That said a new study finds that “average” is really not a helpful way of looking at it:
Do you drink a glass of wine with dinner every night? That puts you in the top 30 percent of American adults in terms of per-capita alcohol consumption. If you drink two glasses, that would put you in the top 20 percent.
But in order to break into the top 10 percent of American drinkers, you would need to drink more than two bottles of wine with every dinner. And you’d still be below-average among those top 10 percenters.
The top 10 percent of American drinkers – 24 million adults over age 18 – consume, on average, 74 alcoholic drinks per week. That works out to a little more than four-and-a-half 750 ml bottles of Jack Daniels, 18 bottles of wine, or three 24-can cases of beer. In one week.
I don’t know about you, but that left me relieved and horrified. Sure, I’m a lightweight compared to the heaviest drinkers, but does having a glass or two of wine with dinner really put me above the 80th percentile? And nearly a third of American adults don’t drink at all?
Image Credit: Flickr user Kimery Davis.
Published in General
You might enjoy this series of videos, featuring the great Brian Cox:
Glenmorangie is #22, I believe.
Wisconsin is really just one big bar with lakes and forests. Man I miss Wisconsin.
Those never get old.
I’m in the 20% bracket, too. Think you could drink this Texan under the table? ;-)
How big is the table?
I’ve watched dozens of those a few months back. They’re so… wonderful.
(Also, I learned a lot).
Well, everything’s bigger in Texas….
One way to find out- a Ricochet meetup with Jimmy Carter as the referee and Yeti there to mitigate the carnage.
I could take you down, LaRoche. My weapon of choice will be the pride of Spartanburg, RJ Rockers’ high gravity offering, “Bell Ringer.”
Intriguing, Mr. Meyer – thank you.
Just this: It’s a good idea to slow down a bit when some reviewer (reviewing two books and not giving any citations) writes something like:
“Colonists imbibed an average of 34 gallons of beer and cider, five gallons of distilled spirits, and one gallon of wine per person per year in 1790, compared to the 2.31 gallons per year the average person consumed in 2007.”
How could anyone come up with a measurement of consumption like that in 1790, or after 1790 about 1790? “Colonists’ average?” Come on! They had privacy in those days!
And then the 2007 claim, of Gallons Per Not-Specified-Substance, Yet Given To All Those Absurd Significant Digits With a Straight Face? That sentence of the reviewer’s is a masterpiece combination of vagueness with non-credible levels of precision.
The history of Americans’ imbibing is indeed interesting: for example, Benjamin Franklin writing about the virtues of ale, or John Gould (not that one, the real one) writing about “flip.” Nevertheless, I say we should pay no mind to extravagant and patently unbelievable statistical claims. Better fagettaboutitt. Is it 5 o’clock yet?
The consumption numbers seem inflated to me. Is it possible the way the study was conducted to base it on the amount of alcohol sold? Acquiring alcohol for later consumption would indicate more than is actually consumed if more alcohol is being stored than consumed. I easily acquire and store much more than I and my wife drink. It goes in the cupboard, on the shelf, on the wine rack. Over the years, we notice we have more liquor and wine to store than we have space. The solution isn’t to drink more. The solution for us is to cut back on purchases. Also, in some cases, pour a bottle down the drain.
For example, open a bottle of wine. Drink two glasses and save 1/2 bottle. When the next time comes to pour it, if it’s turned, we pour it out. Doesn’t matter how expensive it was. On a purchasing/bottles sold basis, it looks like I’ve consumed a whole bottle of wine. In actuality, we’ve only drunk a half bottle. Wine will turn. Not so much spirits. But I’ve kept beer long enough that even in the refrigerator, if it doesn’t taste right to me (I’m definitely not a big beer drinker), most of it is likely go down the sink.
Put me in the time machine!
Like!
“Bell Ringer?” With a name like that. it must be good!
Trust me – it’s a fight worth losing.
I don’t think of Guinness as an especially hoppy beer. I’d say it’s more malty, with bitter coffee flavors.
IPA’s for instance are much hoppier, even though they’re lighter and less malted than stout.
Though why anyone drank rum before Coke was invented is a mystery to me…
P.S. I’m drinking a Martini as I type.
Because good rum tastes good! I thought the same about tequila – until I had half-way decent tequila!
Can you recommend one that’s not outrageously expensive? I’ve tried several brands and though they all tasted terrible.
Actually I’m embarrassed to say I can’t. :-[ My conversion drink was Patron. Don’t laugh! Patron may not belong among the top shelf but it’s far, far better than the dreadfully common Jose Cuervo. My impression is you get what you pay for, so if you’re paying less than $30 a bottle, you’re probably not getting the good stuff.
I hope others here can share more refined wisdom.
On a recommendation, I tried 12 year Macallan single malt. I discovered that I didn’t care for the flavor of aging in Spanish sherry oak casks. It’s distinctive enough that it even cuts through the mixer (ducks). This probably complements and can stand up against while engaging in cigar smoking. On the other hand, I enjoy the original 10 year Glenmorangie, also on a recommendation, which is aged in American oak ex-bourbon casks from Missouri, like a lot of good American whiskeys. I wouldn’t try this with a mixer.
yep
Tell your doctor two drinks a week. There is no medical reason for asking that question, and your doctor won’t believe you anyway. Doctors just like to give you the lecture. If there is an actual problem, it will show up in your liver enzymes.
Well, I’m seeing a psychiatrist, so she actually has a legitimate reason to ask. (People on mood-affecting drugs generally shouldn’t self-medicate their mood as well.) I also generally add “never more than one an hour or three in a sitting,” and that seems to calm the docs down.
I highly recommend Sauza Tequila Hornitos Reposado. That tequila has such an excellent flavor that I enjoy it neat!
It is also is my preferred brand for Margaritas
drinking wine daily, how novel.
I don’t know about the skinny-dipping, but I have never had a problem with my companions when I drink soft drinks while others are imbibing. When I’m with a group at a commercial bar, the bar sometimes give me the soft drinks for free. I think the theory is that the alcohol drinkers may drink more if they know I’m available to drive them home.
It’s always noon somewhere.